Darryl Sittler Maple Leafs banner arrives in St. Jacobs

Darryl Sittler’s original Air Canada Centre banner is on display at the St. Jacobs Farmer’s Market forever.

The market was bustling with blue and white Saturday morning, as hundreds of Toronto Maple Leafs fans came out to see their team deliver a special banner honouring the hometown hockey royalty.

The banner is one of 19 original ACC banners that pay tribute to players that have had their numbers retired. Every banner is now being delivered to the players’ hometowns. Sittler’s banner — with his number 27 — is the 13th to be delivered as part of the tour, which began last summer.

Sittler signed autographs and took photos with Leafs fans before it was unveiled. He says he has a lot of humble beginings in St. Jacobs.

“When I was a kid growing up, I worked at this Farmer’s Market,” said Sittler. “I tried to do anything in town — we had a family of eight kids — to make some money so I could buy a hockey stick at Home Hardware, which was only one store back then believe it or not.”

Sittler says when he found out he was going to be honoured with a banner, he had one request for the President of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“If he would respect and honour me by allowing me to put Wendy’s name on there,” Sittler said through tears. “We were married 30 years… She died of colon cancer, so I wanted to honour her by having her name on the banner. When you see the banner, Wendy’s name is on there.”

Sittler says he’s proud the banner with have a permanent home at the St. Jacobs Farmer’s Market.

“Sometimes those dreams come true and that’s happened for me,” he says so it’s kind of the full circle here today.”