As the Toronto Blue Jays continue their post-season, a local self-proclaimed superfan is loving every moment of it. Jim Schonewille from Kitchener, Ont. has been cheering for the blue birds for as long as he can remember. “When I was 18, when the Blue Jays won the World Series the first time and I decorated my house,” Jim Schonewille said while holding a picture of himself from the last time the Blue Jays won the World Series. He was also watching closely when the Jays won the American League Division Series in 2015, but he thinks this year is different. “Some of them had hall of fame careers as well, but I think that when you take a look at this team there has been multiple players, whether they come from the minor league level or they’ve been on the major league roster all season long. They’ve all contributed to the common goal, and that is working themselves towards a World Series. Which I’m hopeful that they can get back there,” Schonewille said. His passion for Canada’s only professional baseball team shines true inside his Kitchener home. From floor to ceiling, Blue Jays memorabilia dominates his living room, with a collection of logoed carpets, seat covers, curtains and couch covers. He even has Blue Jays banners in the backyard, a scrolling LED sign in his front window and decals on his vehicle so everyone knows where his loyalty lies. “It’s growing. I’m always collecting. I’ve added to my collection. I’ve made some of my own stuff,” Schonewille said. He’s got signed balls, signed bats, hats, jerseys and a book full of Toronto sports cards. “I’ve even got a Blue Jays chess set back in there,” Schonewille said. During the COVID-19 pandemic Schonewille also purchased cutouts of him and his wife, which were placed in the stands of three MLB stadiums during games. “[The cutouts] went from out in Florida, and then they went to Buffalo, and then they ended up coming to Rogers Stadium,” Schonewille said. It’s a collection that surrounds Schonewille every time he sits down to watch a game, and of course, he tries to watch all 162 games during the regular season. “If it has anything to do about the Blue Jays, I want to know what’s going on,” Schonewille said. Now with his beloved team still playing in October, Schonewille plans to be planted in front of his big screen all post season long “There are times where my wife will be sitting in her chair or somebody, and they’ll be talking to me and they’ll be going, ‘Hello? Are you there?’ So, I kind of tune people out when the game is on,” Schonewille said.
