When the night began at Rogers Centre, John Bains thought he’d be watching history — not holding it.
The 61-year-old from Brampton, Ontario, has been bleeding Blue Jays blue since 1977, when baseball first took root north of the border. He’s seen the highs, the heartbreaks, and the near-misses. But nothing — absolutely nothing — could have prepared him for what happened on that fateful Saturday night during Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.
In the top of the ninth, with one out and the Dodgers clinging to their last breath, Miguel Rojas stepped into the box. Bains, and the other 44,713 Blue Jays fans in attendance believed the were seconds away from watching history unfold, and a 32-year World Series drought snapped.
The air inside the dome hung thick with tension — like a held breath refusing to exhale. Rojas connected on a hanging slider by All-Star closer Jeff Hoffman, and a sharp crack cut through the silence. The ball soared toward left field — a white comet tracing destiny’s line.
Bains didn’t flinch. He tracked it the whole way, arms extended, heart racing, he reached over the railing. Thwack. The ball landed squarely in his glove. Pandemonium erupted, but for John, it was surreal stillness — a frozen frame in baseball eternity.
Cameras caught Bains throwing the home run ball back onto the field as the stunned crowd went silent as the sheeted dead. But in reality, Bains had a trick up his sleeve.
“I had a feeling I might have to pull the switch,” Bains told Darren Rovell, laughing about the decoy baseball he’d tucked in his pocket, just in case. Moments later, he tossed the ordinary ball back onto the field — a magician’s sleight of hand to keep a piece of history.
For any other fan, catching one of the most important home run balls in baseball history might be fortunate enough. A ball like that, if sold at auction, could change anyone’s life forever.
But fate wasn’t finished.
Two innings later, in the 11th, Dodgers catcher Will Smith sent a towering drive arcing toward the same section — the same row — the same family. The ball bounced off the Blue Jays bullpen ground and into the waiting arms of John’s son, Matthew, who fumbled it on the bounce, the ball caroming off hands and seats before finding its way back to him.
The stadium fell quiet as Smith rounded the bases. The Dodgers poured out of the dugout. And in the stands, a stunned father and son stared down at their hands — each holding a piece of baseball immortality.
“I mean, what are the odds?” Bains said, shaking his head.
For a man who’s caught his fair share of postseason souvenirs — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the ALDS, Ernie Clement in the same series — this was otherworldly. Two game-changing home runs, caught by the same family, in the same game, from opposing sides of fate.
Mixed emotions? Of course. The Blue Jays’ dream season had dissolved in real time. Yet even amid heartbreak, there was a strange beauty in it — a father and son sharing the most improbable moment of their lives, forever bound by two baseballs that changed everything.
And an immigrant family whose lives and lineage just changed forever.
Bains said that he’s going to keep the balls for now, MLB does not authenticate baseballs that leave the field of play, unless they are specially marked. But that doesn’t stop an auction house from authenticating the baseballs and selling them to the highest bidder on the open market.
Bains joked that he’d consider offers before that happens — “$1 million for the Rojas ball, $1.5 million for the Smith ball” — but deep down, he knows the true value isn’t monetary, but the memories he just shared with his son. It’s something eternal, something only baseball can conjure: legacy, luck, and the cosmic symmetry of a game that never stops surprising.
And somewhere in Toronto, as the nearby Rogers Centre sits empty, two baseballs now rest side by side inside the Bains household— reminders that sometimes, the universe has the strangest sense of humor.
Allison Craig is a passionate sports writer and analyst with a deep love for game strategies, player performances, and the latest trends in the sports world. With years of experience covering football, basketball, tennis, and more, she delivers insightful analysis and engaging content for sports enthusiasts.
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