Having the White House extend an invite to a championship sports team is a tradition as American as apple pie.
So, what would happen if that champion team just so happens to hail from Canada?
That’s the question that many people are asking with the Toronto Blue Jays one win away from clinching the World Series.
Of course, that one win is not going to come easy against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 on Friday night at Rogers Centre, or in a potential winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday night at the downtown dome.
But the question is something to be considered, especially during a time when relations between Canada and the U.S. aren’t exactly at their best.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently took issue with several ads by the Ontario provincial government targeting his tariffs against Canada.
Trump also repeatedly has commented about Canada becoming the “51st state” — enraging many Canadians.
As far as baseball goes, Trump has yet to appear to comment on the World Series on either his X or Truth Social accounts.
The U.S. President, who has made appearances at several sporting events this year — including the Super Bowl, Ryder Cup and UFC events — did not attend any of the three games in Los Angeles earlier this week.
The White House released a statement prior to Game 2 of the World Series, praising both teams.
“This year’s World Series brings together two exceptional teams that earned their place through talent and determination,” it reads.
“As the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays compete for the Commissioner’s Trophy, they remind us why baseball brings friends and neighbors together.
“Melania and I send our best wishes to the players, coaches, and fans for a fun and safe series. May the best team win, and may God bless our national pastime and the United States of America.”
Have Canadian teams visited in the past?
In the past, there has been one Canadian team on record that was extended an invite to the White House and attended: The 1992 Blue Jays.
According to We Are, We Can, We Will: The 1992 World Champion Toronto Blue Jays by Mark Davis, manager Cito Gaston received a call from President George H.W. Bush a day after capturing the championship against the Atlanta Braves.
The team was invited to Washington D.C. and made the trip in mid-December that year.
After winning the World Series the following year, however, the Jays did not make a return flight down to the American capital, despite being invited by new president Bill Clinton, according to Sports Illustrated.
As for other sports, the 1993 Montreal Canadiens — still the most recent Canadian Stanley Cup champs — received an invitation, but declined.
The Toronto Raptors won the franchise’s first and only NBA championship in 2019 and reportedly were extended an invite to the White House.
While some players commented at the time that they would decline the offer, another factor might have also gotten in the way: The COVID-19 pandemic.
While the Raptors hosted the Washington Wizards twice before the pandemic hit, they had yet to visit the U.S. capital as part of their 2019-20 schedule — a trip that usually serves as a good time for the White House festivities.
While Toronto FC won the MLS Cup in 2017, there’s no record of the Reds having been invited or attending the White House.