MLB: Cubs stunned! Hall of Fame enshrines Andre Dawson as Expo
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Jan 27 2010, 8:01 AM
He won his only MVP trophy as a Chicago Cub, but it looks like Andre Dawson will collect his Hall of Fame hardware as a member of the Montreal Expos.
Dawson sent a text message to the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday night saying: "Hall will issue a press release [Wednesday] announcing that I will go in as an Expo."
Dawson spent the first 11 seasons of his career in Montreal, winning Rookie of the Year in 1977. He hit 225 of his 438 career homers with the Expos. He also showcased more of a speed game in Montreal, registering 253 of his 314 career steals.
But it was in Chicago that Dawson became a household name. He handed the Cubs a blank contract in 1987 as a free agent and signed for $500,000 with $250,000 in incentives. He proceeded to bat .287 and led the league in homers (49) and RBIs (137), while winning MVP, a Gold Glove and going to the All-Star Game.
This is a total shocker, at least to me. I never figured the Hall of Fame would NOT induct "The Hawk" as a Chicago Cub.
I will personally always associate Dawson's greatest career glory with his time in Chicago. He clearly had a long, successful run in Montreal but I would argue most of the sports world best remembers him as a Cub. Part of this was due to the rise of WGN and the growth of cable television, which exposed Dawson to a mass audience in his prime years.
Still, I'd bet that if you were to ask a casual sports fan who Andre Dawson played for you would get five "Cubs" responses for every one "Expos" response.
I'm personally looking forward to hearing the Hall's rationale on this decision over the next few days. One would assume this will be well covered on PTI, Around The Horn, et al today as well.
He won his only MVP trophy as a Chicago Cub, but it looks like Andre Dawson will collect his Hall of Fame hardware as a member of the Montreal Expos.
Dawson sent a text message to the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday night saying: "Hall will issue a press release [Wednesday] announcing that I will go in as an Expo."
Dawson spent the first 11 seasons of his career in Montreal, winning Rookie of the Year in 1977. He hit 225 of his 438 career homers with the Expos. He also showcased more of a speed game in Montreal, registering 253 of his 314 career steals.
But it was in Chicago that Dawson became a household name. He handed the Cubs a blank contract in 1987 as a free agent and signed for $500,000 with $250,000 in incentives. He proceeded to bat .287 and led the league in homers (49) and RBIs (137), while winning MVP, a Gold Glove and going to the All-Star Game.
This is a total shocker, at least to me. I never figured the Hall of Fame would NOT induct "The Hawk" as a Chicago Cub.
I will personally always associate Dawson's greatest career glory with his time in Chicago. He clearly had a long, successful run in Montreal but I would argue most of the sports world best remembers him as a Cub. Part of this was due to the rise of WGN and the growth of cable television, which exposed Dawson to a mass audience in his prime years.
Still, I'd bet that if you were to ask a casual sports fan who Andre Dawson played for you would get five "Cubs" responses for every one "Expos" response.
I'm personally looking forward to hearing the Hall's rationale on this decision over the next few days. One would assume this will be well covered on PTI, Around The Horn, et al today as well.
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