Andre Dawson’s Hall of Fame career spanned 21 seasons, with more than half of those spent across the northern border.
The outfielder played his first 11 seasons with the Expos, who are now the Washington Nationals, and his plaque in Cooperstown bears the Montreal logo.
However, the 1987 NL MVP has informed the National Baseball Hall of Fame that he wants his cap changed to the Chicago Cubs, where he spent just six seasons.
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Major League Baseball Hall of Fame member Andre Dawson tips his hat to Cubs’ fans before a game against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field on Aug. 10, 2022, in Chicago. (Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
The Hall of Fame, since 2001, is actually the party that selects what cap a player will be wearing on his plaque, not the player himself. So, it was the Hall that opted for Dawson to wear an Expos hat when he was inducted in 2010, making him the second player to officially be a Hall of Famer as an Expo (Gary Carter went in as an Expo in 2003 in another debatable selection). It should be noted that several players, most recently Fred McGriff, do not have a logo on their caps.
Dawson expressed his disappointment when the original decision was made, but he recently reiterated that he simply just sees himself as a Cub, rather than an Expo.
“I just felt my preference all along was as a Cub, despite playing (11) years in Montreal,” he told The Chicago Tribune. “I had my reasons, and I think that should’ve been something we sat down and discussed.”
Aside from better numbers, though, there was something personal between Dawson and the Montreal franchise.
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Andre Dawson of the Cubs during a game at Wrigley Field in Chicago during the 1987 season. (Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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“I was one of the more popular players in Montreal, but I wouldn’t consider myself an organizational icon or the most popular.… When push came to shove and I became a free agent, I think it was handled poorly, and in a sense, I was really forced out. The change of scenery in Chicago rejuvenated me because of how warmly I was received,” he said.
Dawson’s lone MVP campaign came as a Cub, as did five of his eight All-Star appearances (the other three were with Montreal).
However, six of Dawson’s eight Gold Glove Awards came as an Expo, as did his only postseason series victory.
Andre Dawson of the Montreal Expos bats against the Pirates during a game at Three Rivers Stadium in 1979 in Pittsburgh. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
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Dawson hit .285 with a .834 OPS in Chicago, vs. a .280 average and .802 OPS in Montreal. He split his final four seasons with the Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins.
Dawson’s No. 10 was retired in Montreal, although seven players have worn it since the move to Washington – the number was also retired by the Expos for Rusty Staub. Dawson wore No. 8 with the Cubs, as 10 had been in use by the time he signed with them (10 was eventually retired for Ron Santo). Chicago has not retired No. 8 for Dawson, and it was worn by Ian Happ this past season.
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