For as long I can remember, people have been giving me shit for one reason or another. As my high school years pasted, I had one characteristic that people always seemed to make me the butt of the joke. No, I wasn’t the kid who peed his pants in front of the cheerleaders or the kid who called his teacher mom. In other people’s opinions it was much worse, I was Canadian (Let me go on to say that my family is from Nova Scotia and we’re not French-Canadian, if you ever called my grampy French-Canadian you’d be lucky only to get an ear full). Personally, I have embraced my Canadian heritage so strongly, that I been trying to teach my girlfriend how to use “eh” in the proper context. Unfortunately, she does’t have that maple syrup running through her veins.
My entire life I had hoped for a Boston superstar who I could mention anytime someone sang the South Park song, “Blame Canada” to me. For years I have waited for a Canadian superstar to come riding into Boston dressed like a Mountie, and save the Canadian Bostonians from the abuse we have suffered for years. After 19 years of waiting the savior has arrived, his name is Jason Bay.
When the Sox acquired Bay from Pittsburgh, I tried not to get my hopes up because the last time the Red Sox acquired a Canadian born player, he turned out to be a juicin’ dud. This player worn the same number as Bay prior to being traded to the Sox and was also a deadline deal one year before, for those who haven’t picked up on it that player is none other than Eric “No Lead is Safe” Gagne.
After his first weekend with the BoSox, Bay has been able to put up some noteworthy numbers, Canadian or not. After a three game sweep of the A’s, Bay is hitting .364 with 1 HR and 3 RBIs. Along with is quick bat, Bay brings some solid fielding to the Sox, which is more then I can say about the guy he replaced. What was that guy’s name?
Bay, who grew up in Trail, British Columbia, has been in the Canadian spotlight for years. In 1990, his little league team represented Canada in the Little League World Series. In 2005 and 2006 he won the Tip O’Neill Award, which is given to the top Canadian player each year.
With Bay Pride Weekend over, Red Sox Nation look ahead to hopefully a long and productive career with Bay. Who knows maybe Bay will have a cult following in Boston, complete with flannel clad fans sporting Canadian flags, the way people would wave Dominican flags in the days of Pedro and what’s his face. I can already hear the Canadian National Anthem pulsing through the Fenway speakers.
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
