Some Blue Jays fans booed the United States’ national anthem at Toronto’s home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
There were scattered but audible boos from the sold-out crowd at Rogers Centre as the “The Star-Spangled Banner” was sung by the 40-person ensemble from the local stage production of the Lion King.
Those jeers turned to cheers and singing as the crowd joined in with the musical’s cast for “O Canada” as members of the Canadian armed forces unfurled a giant Canadian flag in the outfield.
Fans at hockey, basketball and pro wrestling events in Canada have been booing the U.S. anthem in response to American President Donald Trump’s punitive tariffs and repeated suggestions that Canada should join the U.S. as its “51st state.”
Blue Jays manager John Schneider, who is from Princeton, N.J., said that he had spoken to his players about the possibility of the anthem being booed.
“That’s not our focus,” said Schneider during a pre-game conference with reporters. “Unless it’s like [country music star] Chris Stapleton singing the anthem, I’m not really looking forward to the anthem unless he’s singing it.
“We’re expecting whatever is going to happen, and then focusing on the game. It’s unfortunate. We get it, but I think we’re focusing on the game.”
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde also said his team had prepared for the possible boos.
“We’ve communicated that with our players, and everybody understands,” he said in his pre-game scrum in the visitors’ dugout. “We understand all that.
“Our PR and communications team did a great job of preparing our players for that.”
Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, who was on the Blue Jays’ World Series-winning team in 1993, was honoured with a moment of silence before the national anthems.
A message was played over the ballpark’s public address system before the anthems, encouraging fans to be respectful as baseball has historically been a refuge from political turmoil.
It’s not the first time fans at Rogers Centre have booed the U.S. anthem.
There were loud jeers when the downtown ballpark hosted “Elimination Chamber,” a premium live event promoted by World Wrestling Entertainment on March 1.