Toronto Blue Jays - Canada Modern

As an expansion franchise, the Blue Jays were established in Toronto in 1977. The team originally played at Exhibition Stadium before moving to SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) in 1989, where they still play to this day. They are the second Major League Baseball (MLB) team to be based outside the United States, and currently, the only MLB team located outside the U.S. (RIP Montréal Expos).

The blue jay is one of Canada’s most beloved birds, holding a special place in our collective hearts. Blue has also long been the traditional colour for Toronto’s collegiate and professional sports teams, such as the Maple Leafs (hockey) and the Argonauts (Canadian football). So it’s no surprise that in 1976, out of over 4,000 suggestions, 154 people chose the name ‘Blue Jays’ for the city’s new baseball team. The team was initially (partially) owned by the Labatt Brewing Company (45% stake), known for its very popular Labatt Blue beer line. Labatt took the lead role in marketing the club, including the team’s logo, headed up by Director of Creative Services, Richard Walker. Coincidentally, in the late 1960s, Walker worked at Stewart Morrison, the firm responsible for the design of the iconic Montréal Expo identity.

While the industrial design firm Savage Sloan — particularly draughtsman Paco Belsue — received credit for creating the Blue Jays logo, many individuals played pivotal roles in the creative process. These included the aforementioned Walker and Belsue, Dave Savage, and Don McDougall, the president of Labatt Brewing Company.

Walker oversaw the conceptual development of various designs, working closely with the design team at Savage Sloan to refine and perfect the details. Before the final blue bird logo was approved, Walker and his team presented multiple design options for review by the Toronto Blue Jays Board of Directors. Central to the chosen design was the inclusion of a red maple leaf, a symbol of the team’s strong tie to Canada. While the Expos had once considered incorporating a maple leaf into their own logo, that idea was ultimately dismissed. Walker, however, believed wholeheartedly that the design featuring the blue jay and maple leaf was the right choice for the team and pushed for its acceptance. Despite this conviction, the proposal faced some initial resistance from Peter Bavasi, the first General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. Walker recalls in an interview with Ian Hunter: “For several reasons, Bavasi just didn’t think we should have a maple leaf on the logo and had asked that I generate a variation without the maple leaf. He also requested a version in two colours, and another in a single colour — because it would be a lot less expensive for production. I then told Don McDougall (President of Labatt) that the three-colour design with the maple leaf has got to be the one. I don’t know how you do it. Get it approved.” The design was subsequently approved by the board.

The original Blue Jays symbol and logotype were used from 1977 to 1996, followed by numerous attempts at rebranding the club. These changes included a reduced emphasis on the colour blue, the removal of the maple leaf, an attempt to create a more intimidating blue jay, and a stronger focus on the word ‘Jays.’ Ultimately, this only enhanced the appreciation for the original logo. The integration of the maple leaf into the outline of the baseball, the split-letter typography, and the harmonious choice of colours all came together so effortlessly, standing the test of time for nearly 20 years. Today, the Blue Jays logo is effectively a refreshed version of the original and has been in use since 2012.

Based on a previous post on Blue Jay Hunter, in 2017

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