<P> Over the years, the Toronto Blue Jays have created three full - time mascots, all of which portray the bird for which the team was named . </P> <P> BJ Birdy was the team mascot from 1979 to 1999 . For the 2000 season, BJ was replaced by Ace and Diamond, two new characters . Diamond was dropped at the end of the 2003 season, leaving Ace the sole mascot . In recent years, Ace has been joined on an occasional basis by Junior . This happens on "Junior Jays Sundays", formerly "Junior Jays Saturdays". </P> <P> Kevin Shanahan was an employee of Ontario Place, a theme park attraction run by the provincial government of Ontario, located on Toronto's lakeshore across from municipally - run Exhibition Place, site of Exhibition Stadium, the team's home field at the time . As a University of Toronto student, Shanahan designed and performed in a moose costume at the park, to replace the more "motley - looking thing" they already had . The second moose costume was uncomfortable, so he designed a more comfortable bird costume . A friend suggested to him the Blue Jays might want a mascot . Not a baseball fan, he had never seen a live game . He commented "it didn't take me long to see why a mascot was needed . The game needs a distraction . Otherwise your mind wanders ." Shanahan was a part - time science student, before he later dropped out . Previously he had attended Michael Power High school, where he drew comics for the school newspaper . </P>

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