Inside the GTA baseball brand that champions the underdog

With baseball fever ruling Toronto, one designer (and former coach) has launched a clothing line dedicated to the game.

J. Birdy, designed by the GTA’s very own Darryl Silverstein, is a clothing line that emerged a few years back, which has been picking up momentum with the Toronto Blue Jays entering the World Series.

Silverstein, who grew up in Thornhill, has been admittedly eating, sleeping, and breathing baseball since he was a kid —and amid Canada’s complicated relationship with the game — has wanted to create something accessible for those just as obsessed as he is, and for those sliding onto base for the very first time.

“I just felt that there was a major disconnect. When you look at sports fashion in Canada, there are a lot of brands, specifically geared towards hockey. Then, when you look at the states, it is weighed heavily in favour of baseball,” Silverstein told yourcitywithIN.com. “A lot of people love baseball in this country, and not strictly just the Jays, but baseball in general, especially with minor league play.”

Due to the perceived lack of accessible sports fashion, Silverstein made it his mission to create what he describes as “Canada’s baseball brand” in an effort to make fashionable gear that pays homage to the history of the game, which, despite differing opinions, originated in Beachville, ON, in 1838.

The brand emerged around 2022, but it wasn’t until the recent addition of a brick-and-mortar manufacturing location that J. Birdy began to skyrocket in popularity.

The brand’s current prominence can also be matched to Silverstein’s own tenacity, as having gone partially blind at the age of 13, he made it his mission to become the first visually impaired player in the MLB.

[Darryl Silverstein. Photo J. BIRDY BASEBALL CO.]

While this path to the pros did not emerge, Silverstein went on to play with the Ontario Blue Jays at Brock University in St. Catharines, where he helped win two championships, and continued coaching in the minor leagues after the fact, all while battling a cancer diagnosis.

“I love the underdog story, and I love being one. I think it’s the best story you can tell. Last I checked, it was David who won, not Goliath. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a baseball player, or anything else, as long as you have that drive and determination, nothing can beat you,” says Silverstein.

Silverstein’s love of baseball, in tandem with his scrappiness, ties directly to J. Birdy’s stylistic choices, as many of the designs evoke a retro sensation in a nod to some of baseball’s greats.

[Photo J. BIRDY BASEBALL CO.]

A good selection of J.Birdy’s hats and jerseys features contemporary designs, while a large portion also pays homage to the baseball stylings of the ’70s and ’30s.

Silverstein went on to note that future lines scheduled for distribution will lean heavily into that nostalgia, while giving it a functional and fashionable look

“Baseball is romantic, and a lot of the romance behind it is you now have a lot of fans out there watching the sport for the first time,” says Silverstein. “We all do this for the love of the game, and what I want to see J. Birdy be is part of that Canadian ecosystem.”

As for the current reaction to J.Birdy’s prominence in the world of sports fashion, Silverstein approaches the whole affair from the perspective of a ball player and coach, compared to that of a designer.

“If I’m out for a walk and I see someone wearing our stuff, it’s almost as if I’m seeing someone wear my own jersey or number. Legacy is why I became a dad and a coach. Because one day, my own kids, or the kids that I coached, will teach the game forward, and that’s what it’s all about.”

As for the future of the brand in 2026, regardless of the fate of the Jays in the World Series, Silverstein promises to keep innovating and create a platform that every Canadian can get behind.

“We’re going to have so much fun with this going forward, and we just want Canadians to rally along with it.”