It was 49 years ago on this date that the Toronto Blue Jays played their first game in franchise history.On April 7, 1977, the Blue Jays took on the Chicago White Sox in their inaugural game in front of around 45,000 fans at Exhibition Stadium and won 9-5.It was a snowy and cold day and a Zamboni, on loan from the Toronto Maple Leafs, was used to clear away the snow from the field.The crowd inside chanted, “We want beer,” because Exhibition Stadium was not allowed to sell alcohol due to an old bylaw, and so was jokingly referred to “prohibition stadium.”The Blue Jays finished their first homestand with a 5-2 record and were in first place in AL East by half a game.To mark the historic date, the first 15,000 fans attending Tuesday night’s game at the Rogers Centre will receive a Blue Jays Commemorative Ticket Giveaway. Loonie hotdogs will be 77-cents for one night. Also, the team’s mascot – Ace – will be accompanied by BJ Birdy, the Blue Jays’ original mascot.The Blue Jays are looking to bounce back in their series against the L.A. Dodgers on Tuesday after losing to the Dodgers 14-2 on Monday night. It was the first meeting between the teams since the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays in Toronto last fall in the deciding game of the World Series.Kevin Gausman will pitch for Toronto while L.A. counters with World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto. First pitch is at 7:07 p.m.The Blue Jays and their devoted fans are celebrating the team’s 50th season all season long with milestones and memories from across their storied history. The home opener kicked off in March with a special on-field pregame ceremony to honour the 2025 American League champions.The Rogers Centre is also displaying Blue Jays memorabilia from across the years at the stadium including Jose Bautista’s bat from his personal archive.With files from The Canadian Press