OK Blue Jays: The Emergence of a franchise

OK Blue Jays 1985

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A podcast chronicling the 1985 Toronto Blue Jays. The series features players, fans and other sports personalities discussing that season and the team. okbluejays.substack.com

03/23/2025

Episode Eight: Forty years later

Looking back at the ’85 season, most Jays’ fans will remember how it ended rather than how the team got to the brink of their first World Series. A special team… led by extraordinary coaches and an equally impressive front office. Together, that team and in particular that season would galvanize a city. The players, some with big personalities and some with small, would find a commonality and connection that would propel the team to its best ever regular season. 40-years later, the team has cemented its place in the legacy of the franchise. Where are they today? We check in with Pat Gillick, Cito Gaston, Rance Mulliniks, Ernie Whitt, Tom Henke and Steve Balboni. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

50 min
03/22/2025

Episode Seven: Just one more

Toronto sports fans love the Jays, and they love a winner. In the franchise’s first ten years, only four times was their attendance below the league average. 1985 was the first year that the Jays average more than 30-thousand fans per game. For the season, the team saw attendance soar to nearly 2.5 million (the league average was 1.75 million). 37,557 were in attendance on Tuesday October 15th when the Royals and Jays took to the field at Exhibition Stadium for game 6. Jays were up in the series 3 games to 1. Needing only one win to get to the World Series. Episode includes Pat Gillick, Cito Gaston, Rance Mulliniks, Ernie Whitt, Tom Henke and Steve Balboni. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

30 min
03/22/2025

Episode Six: Finally at the top

It was the moment that Jays’ fans had dreamed about. A roster that had the right pieces, but there was some doubt. Despite winning 99 games, the team had gone 1-5 in the final six games of the regular season. They were favourites but were playing one of two teams that seemed to have their number in ’85. This is episode six: Finally at the top Episode includes Pat Gillick, Cito Gaston, Rance Mulliniks, Ernie Whitt, Tom Henke and Steve Balboni. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

28 min
03/22/2025

Episode Five: Two all-stars at the helm

This is episode five: two all-stars at the helm. While the roster of the ’85 Jays were special, it was the front office that assembled the team and the coaching staff that played a role getting them to gel. There have been 14 different managers for the Blue Jays over their history to date. A handful of them served at the helm more than once. When the Blue Jays hired Bobby Cox, their fortunes quickly turned. Episode includes Pat Gillick, Cito Gaston, Rance Mulliniks, Ernie Whitt, Tom Henke and Steve Balboni. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

28 min
03/22/2025

Episode Four: Down the stretch

The Jays would head in early August winning 16 of 19 including a 9-game winning streak. Winning 99 games requires a team to be consistent. The Jays only lost two head-to-head series the entire season. The Red Sox won nine of their 13 match-ups, and the Royals won seven of their 12 regular season games. Episode includes the “botched” exchange at second against the Yankees, and how the Jays were able to hold on to win the division for the first time. Episode includes Pat Gillick, Cito Gaston, Rance Mulliniks, Ernie Whitt, Tom Henke and Steve Balboni. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

31 min
03/22/2025

Episode Three: A regular season to remember

Over the history of the Toronto Blue Jays franchise,1985 remains its best regular season ever. That season was also its most consistent. Of course there were highlight and low-lights, but more of the former than the latter. We’ll hear about an infamous karate-kick, the emergence of a closer and a group of Jays who represented the team at the 1985 All-Star Game. While good teams can lose games but great teams limit losing streaks. And that’s what the ’85 team managed to do. Heading into the ’85 season, the Blue Jays were a confident bunch Episode includes Pat Gillick, Cito Gaston, Rance Mulliniks, Ernie Whitt, Tom Henke and Steve Balboni. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

43 min
03/22/2025

Episode Two: The roster

In this episode, we’ll meet some of the 1985 Blue Jays roster and learn about their unique paths to becoming part of the organization. For Jays’ fans today, they might be getting tired of hearing about players choosing not to sign with the franchise for plenty of reasons… Perhaps the stories in this episode will give them some solace. In 1985, the roster was made up of players (many of them burgeoning stars) who in most cases had no qualms about suiting up for the Jays. This is episode 2… The roster After a number of losing seasons, the Jays seemed to be turning a corner in the early ‘80s. In doing so, their mindset seemed to be changing as well. Episode includes Pat Gillick, Cito Gaston, Rance Mulliniks, Ernie Whitt and Steve Balboni. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

27 min
03/22/2025

Episode One: The Architect builds a franchise

Before an expectation of success and championships… The Toronto Blue Jays were an expansion team looking for an identity. A team that played its first regular season game in the snow, on a field originally used as a racetrack and football field. In a stadium on the shores of Lake Ontario. After nearly eight years of navigating the challenges of expansion, the Blue Jays started to build something truly special… That growth seemingly culminated in one of the most memorable seasons in their history… 1985. Were the 1985 Jays, the best Jays team ever? Episode includes Pat Gillick, Cito Gaston, Rance Mulliniks, Ernie Whitt, Tom Henke and Steve Balboni. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

27 min
03/10/2025

OK Blue Jays: The Emergence of a franchise

OK Blue Jays: The Emergence of a franchise podcast trailer This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okbluejays.substack.com

3 min

9 Episodes

A podcast chronicling the 1985 Toronto Blue Jays. The series features players, fans and other sports personalities discussing that season and the team. okbluejays.substack.com

Creator

OK Blue Jays 1985
Years Active

2K
Episodes

9
Rating

Clean
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© OK Blue Jays
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OK Blue Jays: The Emergence of a franchise