How a Minor League Booster Club’s T-Shirts Bestowed a Nickname On A New York Mets Starter

New York Mets starting pitcher Jonah Tong holds a special place in the hearts of everyone associated with their Double-A affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

Tong, 22, shares similar feelings with the Binghamton community, and both sides have really embraced each other. 

Three Binghamton locals wanted to do something special for Tong to show their appreciation, and that’s where the Binghamton Boosters Baseball Club came up with the idea of t-shirts bearing their nickname for the young starter, “the Canadian Cannon.” 

Tim Szczesny, Ian McCann, and Joe Schieve are the presidents of the Binghamton Baseball Booster Club, which has been around for a decade. It is  dedicated to supporting the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and helping the players, stadium, and fans in any way they can. The trio also has season tickets for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, and they go to almost every home game. 

“We’re baseball fans here. This is as grass roots as a minor leagues story you can get because we’re just baseball fans and this is incredible,” Szczesny said on a phone call to World Baseball Network. 

Szczesny was talking to McCann and Schieve one day when the idea to do something to show support for Tong because he was a fan favorite, and he was pitching really well. The “Canadian Cannon” t-shirt idea began with an AI-generated logo, and once they figured out the design, they contacted Foundation Printing, which is based in Binghamton, to put their vision to life. 

“Tong is a kind, thoughtful, and spirited soul.  He makes you feel like the world is a better place whenever you interact with him,” Szczesny said. 

Once the shirts were created, members of the front office, booster club, and fans started wearing them to all of his home starts in Binghamton, and from there, they spread like wildfire. Every time Tong recorded a strikeout at Mirabito Stadium, the Canadian Cannon logo would pop up on the scoreboard. 

“Tong loved the shirts, and he was super appreciative that we would do something to show our support for him,” Szczesny added. “He asked for my shirts to give to his family and friends as well.” 

Tong’s breakout began in Binghamton, New York, with a pair of starts in 2024, and he pitched the majority of his 2025 season there, posting a 1.59 ERA in 102 innings of work for the Rumble Ponies. Born in Markham, Ontario, near Toronto, Tong played baseball in Canada through his senior year of high school. He’s very down to earth, and he would sign autographs for every kid who waited after the game, making sure that they would say please and thank you before he signed anything. 

“He was sitting on a park bench with kids going over pitch grips on all of his pitches and trying to teach them how to throw,” Szczesny said. “The fact that he took the time to do that and make those kids feel important just shows how special a person he is.” 

The Canadian Cannon went to the next level when Topps created Tong’s first baseball card with the logo from the Binghamton Baseball Booster Club’s t-shirts. 

“Little, small things that happened made it really surreal, and the three of us still had a group text chat and were ecstatic as this was all going on,” Szczesny said. “It was a moment that was similar to when everybody is in the movie theater looking at their phones.” 

Szczesny refers to this group chat as the “Baby Boosters Club,” a group that just loves seeing minor league players succeed.

Tong pitched in Binghamton until August 11, when he was called up to the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Mets. He made 20 starts for the Rumble Ponies and racked up a Minor League-leading 162 strikeouts in 102 innings, and an ERA of 1.59, both of which were the best in across the minors. 

“We were sad to see him go because of how much he meant to the team and the community, but also happy because we know the goal is to ultimately pitch in New York,” Szczesny said. 

Tong took the time to say goodbye to everyone and thank them for the support they gave him this season. 

The Binghamton Baseball Boosters Club is trying to organize a bus trip down to Citi Field for Tong’s next home start. 

“It was no brainer to make the shirts once we had the chance to do it. We take so much pride in it, and just to know that the shirts are out there is amazing,” Szczesny added. “We never wanted to get anything out of this and weren’t expecting any huge profits. It was for the love of the game and to show gratitude towards Tong.” 

Photo: Members of the Binghamton Baseball Booster Club wear “Canadian Cannon” t-shirts to pose with pitcher Jonah Tong, who has advanced from Double-A Binghamton to the Major Leagues this year. (Photo courtesy of Tim Szczesny)