A black-and-gold Raptors blazer has become the unlikely symbol of a buttoned-down mayor who looks like he might have been born in a navy blue double-breasted diaper. John Tory is surprised and bemused by the jacketâs popularity â he started wearing it as a fan-pleaser at Jurassic Park but now, by popular demand, sports the blingy frock all over town.âItâs now become this thing where I canât take it off. Itâs become a requirement that I wear it,â the mayor says with a shrug and a laugh.It all started May 11 at the opening of George Chuvalo Community Centre in the Junction.Tory wore one of his two Toronto Raptors jackets â a âWe The Northâ windbreaker and an NBA-OVO number. Fellow guest Clarke Douglas, a partner in Clarky & Zac Clothing Company, told him: âIâm going to upgrade your Raptors wardrobe.ââI knew the mayor would be there. I had seen him wear a couple more traditional Raptor jackets and thought it would be fun to give him one of ours,â says Douglas, whose company made 200 of the claw-print blazers for Real Sports at Scotiabank Arena that had already sold out at $140 each.The mayor looked at the blazer and thought: âIt is a little garish and not exactly made of spun silk, but fine.â When he wore it to the Jurassic Park fan zone outside the arena during the Raptorsâ playoff run, people lined up for selfies. Read more: Raptorsâ Mr. Everything Gasol finds fun in NBA Finals challenge â before and after beers Surge in amateur basketball interest expected amid Raptorsâ playoff successWhat theyâre saying about us: With Durant out, Raptors are the favourite once againThen colleagues at political announcements started asking: âWhereâs the jacket?âLast weekend Tory wore a traditional suit to a wedding but caved to guestsâ demands. âI had (the Raptors blazer) in the car so I said, âFine Iâll ...
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