Sign banning home runs at Toronto baseball diamond goes viral

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An image of a sign that banned competitive play at a west-end Toronto baseball diamond, including home runs, has gone viral.

Social media was up in arms over the weekend after a photo went viral of a sign affixed to a fence that displayed the rules of play at MacGregor Playground, located on Lansdowne Ave. near College St.

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“Competitive high-level play is not allowed,” the sign said.

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The restrictions also included no hardballs and no aluminum bats on the field of play.

“What if you accidentally hit a homer because you connected perfectly?” one person asked online.

Other rules required the pitcher to throw underhand and balls must remain in the park.

According to Google Images, the diamond appears small and is likely intended for children to play softball as there is no raised pitching mound.

In addition, a condo building sits beyond the home run fence in left field, while a children’s playground is just past right field. Apparently, protective netting was put in place above the outfield fence following complaints from nearby residents.

But that didn’t stop online commenters from criticizing the restrictions.

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“This is the result of whiny people living in the vicinity of this ball diamond,” wrote Ryan Gerritsen. “They all got together and demanded their councillor make these changes. The bat ping was too loud, hard balls are dangerous, competitive games are rowdy. City Councilors cave quite easy to this.”

“If the ‘Fun Police’ had a Mission Statement,” shared another commenter.

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Others took digs at the Blue Jays inept offence to begin the new season.

“Reminiscent of the Jays game strategy,” one said, while another cheekily asked if it was the Rogers Centre.

Jennifer Keesmaat, Toronto’s former chief planner, told ballplayers to swing for the fences and not worry about the restrictions.

“Ignore this sign,” she wrote. “It was written in error, by a hapless bureaucrat.”

Keesmaat added in an update Monday night that the sign is set to be taken down by city workers.

“I didn’t want to be a complainer so I made some calls and suffice it to say that someone in Parks has been directed to take down this damn sign (which was Council’s wish, when it was first brought to their attention),” she said. “Should be down imminently.”

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