N.S. university students ‘will never forget’ World Series experience

Three students from StFX University in Nova Scotia were gifted tickets to a Blue Jays game.

Three young Toronto Blue Jays fans studying at StFX University in Antigonish, N.S. knew they had to be part of the team’s historic playoff run.

So, they grabbed their belongings, packed into a car and set out on a 17-hour overnight road trip to see Game 1 of the World Series in Toronto last week.

“We all watched the [George] Springer home run in Game 7 of the prior series,” says Isaac Hierlihy, from Quispamsis, N.B. “We all watched together like, ‘Yeah, we gotta go.’”

Hierlihy and his friends, fellow business students, Kaleb Boates and Ben Kruchten made the trek. The 20-year-olds went without tickets – but with a lot of hope.

“We went and talked with anybody we absolutely could, and we just thought maybe we’ll get lucky and somehow get tickets,” says Ben Kruchten, from Calgary. “We were hoping some company would donate us tickets.”

They met fans and did media interviews, including speaking with CTV before the game.

“We’re students and we’re trying to mull around a little bit, see if we can get any connections to get cheap tickets,” said Hierlihy at the time.

They knew it was a big gamble on whether or not they’d get tickets, which were being resold for thousands of dollars.

Their backup plan was to enjoy the game at a sports bar and then attend the Toronto Maple Leafs game the next night at a much more affordable cost.

After spending several hours outside of Rogers Centre, they gave up and went for food.

Less than two hours before the game, they returned, hoping to convince a ticket ‘scalper’ to lower their prices to something more friendly to their wallet.

But it ended up being the generosity of a fan from Connecticut, who gifted them three tickets.

“Kaleb goes, ‘How much are you selling them for?’ because everyone’s trying to sell tickets,” says Hierlihy.

“And he was like, ‘No, no, free.’ And we’re like, ‘Oh, come on. How much?’”

But the response they got was surprising: ‘Free, come in right now.’”

That allowed the young men access to the game, in what would turn out to be an experience of a lifetime.

“Game 1 of the World Series in Toronto alone would be something I don’t think any of us would have forgotten,” says Kaleb Boates, a Kings County, N.S. native.

“The fact that we not only drove there from Nova Scotia on a whim, last minute, but managed to get tickets by the generosity of a stranger is just something that we will never forget.”

The students know they won’t be buying tickets for Game 6, which the cheapest are listed at around $2,000 online.

“As a student, I think I’d have to skip like a month of meals,” Kruchten joked.

But they know the final game or two of seeing their team vying for the game’s top prize is a unique opportunity.

“When we look ahead to Game 6, we got the three-to-two (series) lead, back in Toronto,” says Boates. “I think everyone is extremely optimistic.”

So, naturally, they’re contemplating one more road trip.

“We only have a few hours to decide,” Boates laughed. “It would be electric to be just in the area the same way we thought for Game 1.”

So, while the Blue Jays look to capture their third-ever World Series title at home on Friday, whether or not the three students living in small-town Nova Scotia will be in Toronto, is a game-time decision.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page