It was quite a birthday present for a Calgary man, thanks to the generosity of a Guelph Toronto Blue Jays season ticket holder.
As it turns out, it's not the first time Josh Gabriel has given away his free swag to a neighbour. And after seeing Bruno Picone light up wearing a brand new Bo Bichette jersey and headband, it surely won't be the last.
"I am genuinely pleased as punch," Gabriel, a 20-year Guelphite originally from Toronto, told GuelphToday.
Both Gabriel and Picone went to the Jays game at Rogers Centre – Gabriel was adamant, it will always be known as the SkyDome to him – last Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
It was a game with a special Bo Bichette giveaway in honour of the Blue Jays shortstop. The first 15,000 fans received the jersey and headband heading into the stadium.
Gabriel, a season ticket holder since 2015, was at the game with his brother-in-law in the 100 level. Picone and his son had tickets directly behind them.
"We were just chatting it up, and I guess like I normally do at any game, I like to chat with my neighbours and make new friends," he said.
Turns out, the Picone's were there for Bruno's birthday trip from Alberta, an annual tradition. But they weren't able to make it in time to take advantage of the giveaway.
"It seemed he was pretty disappointed in that," Gabriel said. "We chatted about it for a few innings, and I was thinking about it, and eventually I was just like 'wait until the end of the game and then I'll just give it to him, see if I can get a smile out of him.'"
The kindness was so well received, Picone wrote a letter to GuelphToday to express his gratitude to the Guelph fan he only knew as "Josh."
"He made my day," Picone wrote. "I wish I knew his last name so I could acknowledge him for his kindness."
The feeling is mutual. After seeing the letter online, Gabriel said he's hoping to get in touch with Picone.
"Maybe next year for his annual birthday game, we will be able to hang out and have a beer," he said.
As most fans in Toronto know, you have to line up hours in advance to get in the door in time to get your hands on the Blue Jays giveaways.
So with the giveaway being so lucrative, was it an easy decision to part with it?
"You saw the picture?" Gabriel answered. "I think I did just fine."
