THE BRONX — There were loud cheers at Yankee Stadium as the phrase “Oh Canada” was heard before Game 3 of the American League Division Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees.
The booing began when the stadium announcer introduced anthem singer Graham Rowat on Tuesday night. The whistling resumed as the Broadway actor finished his performance.
Related videos
The crowd then cheered loudly as a large American flag was unfurled in the outfield and Rowat began singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Receive daily national news
Get the day's top news, political, economic and current affairs headlines delivered to your inbox once a day.
The Blue Jays won the first two games of their best-of-seven series at Rogers Center last weekend.
This is the first post-season meeting between East Division rivals in history.
The Boo Birds returned in the first inning when Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer to give the Blue Jays the lead.
Booing of the anthem was common at North American sporting venues last February due to tensions over tariffs between Canada and the United States. The trend faded after a few weeks.
Rowat is from Peterborough, Ontario and now lives in New York. He performed in productions such as Guys and Dolls, Mamma Mia! and “Beauty and the Beast.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
