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| Photo Credit: Chris Nagy |
A sport played by athletes known as "the boys of summer", Canadians simply envision the beginning of spring when the Toronto Blue Jays begin swinging bats in the Rogers Centre. Since 1989, the enclosure of the Rogers Centre (originally christened as the Skydome) has provided a shield from weather elements. Not entirely replicating the idyllic summer days, the protection of the retractable roof is a little more hospitable for catching the early and even late season baseball games. Occurring at a time where Canadian winter is still biting up, the April 2nd season opener of the 2013 Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball year will welcome the new-look team R.A. Dickey, Jose Reyes and Jeremy Jeffress is a chilly reception from Mother Nature.
Last year, the Toronto Blue Jays home opener on April 9th was performed with a midday temperature of 11.4 degrees Celsius. A more resilient, lingering winter has promised that this season's game at the Rogers Centre will not be so mild. With a daytime high of just 3 degrees, game time for the Toronto Blue Jays versus the Cleveland Indians 2013 home and season opener will to riding on the freezing point. If the weather holds for tonight's game, this will be one of the coolest starts for a Blue Jays season opener. Accounting midday temperatures, The coldest day was the very first Toronto Blue Jays game at the CNE Grounds in 1977. At noontime on April 7th, 1977, it was -0.7 degrees Celsius for their match against the Chicago White Soxs.
It's worth noting the results in the first home games of past seasons have favoured cold weather days. The first Toronto Blue Jays baseball game on the frigid field in 1977 was a 9-5 win. Conversely, warmer temperatures have not treated the birds well. The warmest midday temperature for a season opening day was 18.4 degrees Celsius. The Toronto Blue Jays lost that game. In fact, the Canadian baseball team lost on six of the eight opening days where a noontime temperature was recorded in the double-digits.
The following list highlights the midday temperatures of Toronto Blue Jays home openers in relations to the game outcome:
List of Toronto Blue Jays Home Opener Temperatures
| Year | Date | Noontime Temp. | Game Outcome |
| 2012 | April 9 | 11.4 | Loss |
| 2011 | April 1 | 8.7 | Win |
| 2010 | April 12 | 11.4 | Loss |
| 2009 | April 6 | 0.9 | Win |
| 2008 | April 4 | 2.8 | Win |
| 2007 | April 9 | 2.1 | Win |
| 2006 | April 4 | 5.2 | Win |
| 2005 | April 8 | 12.6 | Loss |
| 2004 | April 5 | 1.2 | Loss |
| 2003 | April 1 | 0.7 | Loss |
| 2002 | April 4 | 1.3 | Win |
| 2001 | April 9 | 5.9 | Win |
| 2000 | April 3 | 9 | Win |
| 1999 | April 12 | 7.8 | Win |
| 1998 | April 1 | 7.3 | Win |
| 1997 | April 1 | 7.4 | Loss |
| 1996 | April 9 | 3.2 | Win |
| 1995 | April 26 | 7.2 | Win |
| 1994 | April 4 | 8.2 | Win |
| 1993 | April 9 | 16.5 | Win |
| 1992 | April 10 | 9.6 | Win |
| 1991 | April 8 | 18.4 | Loss |
| 1990 | April 10 | 8.1 | Win |
| 1989 | April 14 | 8.9 | Win |
| 1988 | April 11 | 6.7 | Win |
| 1987 | April 6 | 10.9 | Win |
| 1986 | April 14 | 11.1 | Loss |
| 1985 | April 16 | 17.7 | Loss |
| 1984 | April 17 | 5.6 | Win |
| 1983 | April 9 | 7.4 | Win |
| 1982 | April 9 | 3.6 | Loss |
| 1981 | April 13 | 9.4 | Win |
| 1980 | April 14 | 3.4 | Delayed due to rain |
| 1979 | April 13 | 8.2 | Win |
| 1978 | April 14 | 4.5 | Win |
| 1977 | April 7 | -0.7 | Win |
Weather data courtesy of Environment Canada
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