TORONTO (AP) — There's a sign on the Ladner Trunk Road outside Ladner, British Columbia, the hometown of Seattle Mariners pitcher James Paxton, welcoming visitors to the coastal community south of Vancouver.
The sign's main feature is a heron, and locals occasionally dress the bird up for big events, such as Canada Day or a Canucks playoff game.
Late Tuesday night, the heron was clad in a Seattle Mariners jersey with Paxton's name and number 65 on the back, honoring the lefty's no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays. A Canadian flag was stuck in the bird's mouth, and hand-lettered signs were taped up reading "Congrats James" and "Big Maple with a no-hitter," a reference to Paxton's nickname, and the large maple leaf tattoo on his right forearm.