Memorabilia
9 Feet 6 inches tall Blue Jays Statue of Liberty from the 2008 MLB All-Star Game from Yankee Stadium signed by Roy Halladay.
First my story of acquiring this One-of-a-Kind Piece. In 2008 while watching the All-Star Game, I was told that they were auctioning each of the 30 MLB Teams logo’d statues. These Statues are 9 feet 6 inches and must weigh a couple hundred pounds. At the time I was VP Finance and Administration for Rogers Sportsnet and was very involved in bidding on pieces that went to the various charities. I thought this would be a very unique addition to my collection as years earlier I missed out on the Film Festival Moose that was auctioned off during Mayor Mel Lastman’s rein.
I had asked Jaimie C. who at that time was the voice of the Blue Jays if he could bid on that for me as he was in New York but as it turned out, he explained other than the shipping logistics, that the Jays have the option to match the highest bid if they wanted it. As it turned out Paul G. (president of the Blue Jays at the time) wanted this for the Rogers Centre so they matched the highest bid and there it remained for over 2 years. I asked many times to purchase it from them but was not successful. I did order the smaller 10” version as they always used to do a bobblehead or figure from each All-Star Game for each team. I was able to get Roy Halladay to sign the small 10” figure as he was the only Blue Jay who made it that year to the all-star game for the Blue Jays.
When Paul G. left the Jays, it became apparent that the Jays weren’t as favorable of hanging on to this piece and I spoke on many occasions to both Teresa M.(Jays Store Manager) and Anthony P.(VP of Marketing and Merchandising) if they needed a home for the statue, I was interested. A couple years later we came to terms and part of the deal, they would deliver it to me (Thanks Arto). There is another story on how we eventually got the piece into my condominium but not right now.
My goal now was to get Roy Halladay to sign this 9 foot 6 inch piece as I mentioned he was the only Blue Jays player who made the All-Star Game in 2008. It did not make sense to have any other Jays player or any other Team’s All-Star game player on that statue. The lucky thing about that statue was the arm which is about 3 feet 6 inches was removable as it has a long steel rod holding it in place.
For years I waited for the right opportunity to remove the arm and take it to a Halladay signing. While he was with the Jays, I had the opportunity back then to meet him at many functions including special season ticket holder events as well at AJ Sportsworld when he was doing a public signing. I tried not to mix work with my passion for the hobby so as to avoid any potential conflict of interest. That is why I would attend these public signings and get them signed there. Roy Halladay was one of the nicest guys you would want to meet and so humble.
It turned out after a few years, with him now pitching in Phili, I had to continue to remain really patient. Finally, I believe it was in 2016 he was coming to Toronto with the other pitching greats (Stieb, Key, Hentgen etc.) for a ceremony. I quickly got on the phone with Anthony P. (VP Marketing of the Jays at the time) to see where Halladay was going to be during the game and I would have the Arm with me at the stadium. (Keep in mind the arm weighs around 25 pounds and is 3 and half feet long) He had assured me he would let me know. He kept me in the loop but said he is moving around too much so it was difficult to pinpoint a time.
Finally the game ended and Anthony apologised to me that he was not able to arrange the meeting that day. I quickly e-mailed Mario C.(VP Security Jays and Rogers Centre) as I knew there was a private signing after the game for those that had a special ticket. I stood over the level 1 railing and told Mario that I wanted to get the arm signed and Halladay would certainly get a kick out of it, (Much different than the 8 by 10’s or baseballs that he would be signing). As most of the Jays executives knew how much I have donated to the Jays Care Foundation over the years, Mario did me a big favor and said I needed to continue with my generous support to the Jays Care Foundation . I was with my good friend Rick K. and we watched from the first Level as Mario ran across the field with this 3 and half foot arm and my sharpie and got Roy to sign this piece. I believe Rick still has that video.
Unfortunately, due to protocol and timing, I was not able to thank Roy personally for signing it, it still stays with me as one of my greatest days at the ball game. (maybe not as much as World Series game 6 in 1993 or the 2015 Bautista Bat Flip)