They’re not officially magical, but the Toronto Blue Jays’ white-panel hats are flying off shelves faster than Kevin Gausman’s fastballs.
These retro white-panelled caps — a throwback to the team’s 1992 World Series run — are sold out at nearly every major retailer in Ontario, as demand surges amid the team’s postseason push.
The Star called seven sports retailers across Ontario and combed through Google’s shop listings to track down the coveted hat. Every major chain — including SportChek, Lids, and the official merch store inside the Rogers Centre — reported sold-out stock with no clear restock date. Only two independent shops, in Windsor and downtown Toronto, still had some available at the time of publication.
For fans hoping to share in the good fortune, these retro lucky charms — retailing for about $50 — are harder to find than a subway seat at rush hour. The elusive hats have become a symbol of hope and, perhaps, superstition.
Hadi Abdul, owner of The Sports Collection at Spadina Avenue and Adelaide Street West, confirmed the unprecedented demand. His shop usually keeps enough stock to meet customer needs, but after a series of Jays wins wearing the white-panel hats, they’re completely sold out.
“We have hundreds coming,” Abdul said, but couldn’t confirm exactly when. “Hopefully soon.”
The Jays, superstition and a bit of history
What do the 1992 World Series Champion Jays and the current 2025 team owe their success to? Resiliency? Drive? The indomitable Torontonian spirit? Maybe. For fans and the team alike, recent success draws a spiritual connection to the past.
In 1987, the Jays famously lost their division lead and championship series spot by dropping the last seven games of the regular season in a row. That collapse haunted the franchise until 1992, when they shook off the past and won the World Series — donning the now-iconic white-panelled hats.
This year, the team nearly repeated the 1987 collapse, losing six of their last seven regular-season games. In a last-ditch effort, the Jays channeled the ‘92 team’s grit by wearing the retro white-panelled caps for the final two regular-season games. With those hats, they pulled off 5-1 and 13-4 victories over the Tampa Bay Rays to clinch the division at the end of September. The hats were also worn in their recent playoff win against the Yankees to secure their spot in the championship series.
Last hats standing
After contacting multiple retailers and combing through Google’s listings, the Star found only two stores in the province still carrying these hats — and their stocks are dwindling fast following Wednesday night’s victory.
One is Pro Image Sports Canada in Windsor. Owner Ahmed Zabian says white-panel hats were once popular among “fashion guys” looking to match their Jays merch with blue and white Jordans. Now, with the hats considered a team superstition, they’re sought by die-hard fans and fashion enthusiasts alike. At publication, only three hats remained in stock.
In Toronto, veteran sports retailer Tex Thomas has witnessed merchandise frenzies before. He opened his first Pro League Sports shop on Queen Street in 1991, just before the Jays’ first World Series win. At his current Regent Park location, he has four hats left — two in the smallest size and two in the largest — and expects they won’t last long.
“It’s a good time. Not only for my business but for everyone in the city. If it’s the bar, the pizza place, the Uber driver — everyone benefits,” Thomas said.
For now, though, anyone hoping to catch this wave of Jays luck will have to keep an eye out, and maybe be ready to act fast when those caps finally return.
