Tonight, Andre Dawson was honored by the Nationals in recognition of his 2010 induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
What does that have to do with the Nats? Well he was inducted as a Montreal Expo — which depending on who you talk to around the park, the previous question would be repeated.
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Since the Expos moved to D.C. following the 2004 season — a franchise that was in limbo even before it arrived in Washington, the Expos continued their journey in baseball’s pergatory.
Until the introduction of the “Hall of Fame Ring of Honor” — which was unveiled Tuesday night at Nationals Park — there has been no representation of the Expos at either stadium the Nationals have played in. The ring honors those who are in the Baseball Hall of Fame — encompassing Senators/Nationals, Homestead Grays and the Expos.
Since arriving, the Nationals had, wisely so, decided to play up the baseball past of the city — giving the Senators and previous Nationals their due after years of relative obscurity.
However, it appears the team is now trying to embrace the entire baseball history of the franchise — for better or for worse.
What remains to be seen is where this sudden urge is coming from. Is it the team or MLB, who seem to be anxious to get what Expos they can (there aren’t many left) on Hall of Fame plaques?
Getting back to the Hawk — who is by all accounts a first-class player both on and off the field. Dawson’s comments to reporters before the game reflected his appreciation of being honored by the Nationals.
Why wouldn’t he be? The logo that he is wearing on his Cooperstown plaque is of a team that no longer exists. It was known before the induction that Dawson would’ve preferred to wear a Cubs hat into the Hall (he won an MVP with Chicago in 1987) — but he spent only 6 years in front of the ivy at Wrigley Field vs. 11-plus seasons on the knee-ruining AstroTurf at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
My impression is that Dawson may have enjoyed his teammates – and likely the fans – in Montreal, but as far as talking about the Expos organization, he doesn’t easily dole out compliments.
In fact, during his Hall of Fame speech, he thanked the Expos for drafting him and giving him his start in pro baseball — where as, in contrast, he spoke of Cubs fans as being “a true blessing in my life.”
So in the future the Nationals look like they will be making the kind gesture of recognizing the former Expos players who no longer have a team.
That’s good for the former players, but is that the right thing for the Nationals?
The city of Montreal still remembers their heroes. A banner hangs in Bell Centre (home of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens) to commemorate the Expos whose numbers were retired: Gary Carter (8); Dawson & Rusty Staub (both wore No. 10); Tim Raines (30).
As noble as the thought might be of trying to honor the team’s more recent past in the Expos, the reality is there is little left in the Nationals organization that has any kind of connection to Montreal. The front office has been remade, the farm system has been restocked and there are about 3 players on the 40-man roster that were drafted during the Expos era.
As sad as it may sound, the Montreal Expos are dead. The ghosts of Washington’s baseball past have had the good fortune of being resurrected by the new ball club – that’s life.
You don’t see any markers adorning Camden Yards of St. Louis Browns great George Sisler — nor should you.
Nor should Dawson or Carter — or any future Expos Hall of Famers (if there are any) — be showcased in a city that never saw their Hall of Fame talent.
