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Why are Mariners fans wearing shoes on their head against Toronto Blue Jays?

Adam Laskaris
Adam Laskaris
|
Oct 17 2025, 2:50 pm
Why are Mariners fans wearing shoes on their head against Toronto Blue Jays?
Kevin Ng/Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays might not beĀ directly responsible for one of the strangest traditions in Seattle, but it’s hard to argue they haven’t had a pretty big influence on its popularization.

In Seattle, several Mariners fans have been spotted wearing shoes on their head for the two games against the Blue Jays, and throughout the team’s whole playoff run.

The idea of a rally shoe is pretty simple: instead of flipping your hat inside out when your team is losing, as the basis for the traditional “rally cap,” you put a shoe on your head.

And despite taking a 2-0 lead after two games in Toronto, it’s been the Mariners who have warranted the need for some prayers to the baseball gods of late.

On Thursday night, the Mariners needed a late rally, but ended up falling 8-2 to the Blue Jays on the backs of an all-time memorable performance from 41-year-old Toronto pitcher Max Scherzer.

Heading into Friday night’s Game 5 in Seattle, the series is now tied at two games apiece.

Where did the rally shoe start, and how do the Blue Jays factor in?

While the rally shoe is Seattle tradition at this point, it’s only a few years old.

In 2022, the idea came from a fan named Ben, as per MLB.com’s Kevin Murphy.

That year, the Mariners and Jays were facing off in the American League Wild Card Series, the first playoff matchup between the two franchises.

All three games of the series were scheduled to take place in Toronto, but Seattle held a watch party during the road games at T-Mobile Park.

In Game 2 of that series, the Mariners were up 1-0 in the round but down 8-1 midway through the game, and needed a sparkplug.

Ben decided to take matters into his own feet, whipping off his Birkenstock and placing it on his head.

Pictures and videos of the moment ended up going viral pretty quickly, as the Mariners ended up having a comeback for the ages, defeating Toronto 10-9 and knocking them out of the playoffs.

The original shoe even got signed by Ben and made it into the team’s Hall of Fame.

While we don’t know if the movement will ever lead Seattle to a World Series (or curse them away from one), we can at least applaud the creativity of one of baseball’s strangest traditions.

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