Big Maple (Toronto, Canada nickname)
Is Toronnto, Canada, called the “Big Maple,” similar to New York City’s nickname of “Big Apple”?
“Big Maple” was the nickname of British Columbia, Canada-born baseball pitcher James Paxton, who played in the major leagues from 2013 to 2024. In 2019 and 2020, he played for the New York Yankees, prompting “Big Maple in the Big Apple” comments. On May 6, 2018, Paxton pitched a no-hitter agains the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto-born basketball player Zach Edey, who started professionally in the NBA in 2024. has also been called “Big Maple.”
The city of Toronto, Canada, has had the hockey team called the Toronto Maple Leafs since 1927. “Big Maple,” however, has only infrequently been used as a Toronto nickname. “@Lil_debbie08 Jays vs Mets. The Big Maple vs The Big Apple. #FlyingV” was posted on X/Twitter by Belgian Dalton on October 16, 2015. “Ok, so if New York is the big apple, what is Toronto? Big maple?” was posted on X/Twitter by ірина on October 1, 2016.
This explanation of “Big Maple” as a Toronnto nickname was posted on Bluesky by Tagg the Otter🌻🍁 on October 7, 2026:
“Fun fact for you Americans:
New York is called The Big Apple. In Canada, we refer to Toronto as The Big Maple, but said like ‘mapple’
Mostly because it was Rob Ford who coined the term and we fucking hated him. He was a shitty mayor.”
Wikipedia: James Paxton (baseball)
James Alston Paxton (born November 6, 1988), nicknamed “Big Maple”, is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Paxton played college baseball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was selected by the Mariners in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB draft and made his MLB debut with them in 2013. On May 8, 2018, Paxton pitched a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming the first Canadian major league pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Canada.
Wikipedia: Zach Edey
Zachry Cheyne Edey (/ˈiːdi/ EE-dee; born May 14, 2002) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Purdue Boilermakers, leading the team to the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship game in his final year.
Wikipedia: Toronto
Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located on a harbour at the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. The city is the fourth-most populous city in North America, behind Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles, with a census population of 2,794,356 as of 2021.
Wikipedia: Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs, officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Leafs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The club is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a company that owns several professional sports teams in the city, while the team’s broadcasting rights are split between BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications.
The club was founded as the Toronto Arenas for the inaugural 1917–18 NHL season and rebranded to the Toronto St. Patricks two years later. Conn Smythe renamed the franchise to the Maple Leafs after buying it in 1927.
X/Twitter
Ryan Divish
@RyanDivish
The Big Maple, James Paxton, is at 21 pitches. Yeah, that doesn’t work.
10:25 PM · Apr 7, 2015
X/Twitter
Belgian Dalton
@dhau16
@Lil_debbie08 Jays vs Mets. The Big Maple vs The Big Apple. #FlyingV
2:38 PM · Oct 16, 2015
X/Twitter
ірина
@_lrlna
Ok, so if New York is the big apple, what is Toronto? Big maple?
12:35 PM · Oct 1, 2016
X/Twitter
Ryan Divish
@RyanDivish
Servais referred to Paxton as “Big Maple” postgame.
10:51 PM · Apr 26, 2017
X/Twitter
New York Yankees
@Yankees
Big Maple in the Big Apple. Welcome, @James_Paxton!
James Paxton
6:13 PM · Nov 19, 2018
X/Twitter
Pinstripe Alley
@pinstripealley
And don’t forget the Big Maple in the Big Apple shirt for James Paxton! #Yankees @breakingtco http://bit.ly/2S6wZ5l
8:35 PM · Apr 22, 2019
X/Twitter
The Ultimate Boiler
@UltimateBoiler
Toronto Tower! The Big Maple! The Garden of Edey!
3:57 PM · Mar 6, 2021
X/Twitter
Dub Jellison
@DubJellison
So we’re calling Edey Big Maple now right??
Quote
Canada Basketball
@CanBball
Jun 23, 2021
Wheels up tomorrow so we’re working late.
#FIBAOQT
1:35 PM · Jun 24, 2021 from Carmel, IN
X/Twitter
Small poo
@CoolGuy6890
Can we refer to Canada as “The Big Maple” like we refer to NY when we say “The Big Apple”
I am small poo
4:42 PM · May 9, 2025
Bluesky
Tagg the Otter🌻🍁
@taggtheotter.bsky.social
Fun fact for you Americans:
New York is called The Big Apple. In Canada, we refer to Toronto as The Big Maple, but said like “mapple”
Mostly because it was Rob Ford who coined the term and we fucking hated him. He was a shitty mayor
12:14 PM · Oct 7, 2026