![]() Le Grand Orange, incidentally, cried at the news of the trade but quickly became a fan favorite in the Big Apple as well. Shortly before the 1972 season, in an effort to improve a losing ball club, Staub was traded to the New York Mets for three young major league ready players, including switch-hitting outfielder Ken Singleton (the 3rd overall pick in the 1967 draft) and shortstop Tim Foli (the #1 overall pick in 1968). Staub was far and away the best player on the team from 1969-1971 and represented Montreal at the All-Star Game all three years. Dubbed “Le Grand Orange,” Staub endeared himself to the citizens of Montreal by attempting to learn French and spending the off-seasons in the cold winters of Canada. Their best player, acquired pre-season in a trade with the Houston Astros, was a red-haired outfielder from New Orleans named Rusty Staub. The Expos were originally only supposed to play in “Le Parc Jarry” for four years but wound up playing there for eight seasons due to delays and cost overruns of the domed stadium being built for the 1976 Olympics.įor their first manager, the Expos hired longtime Philadelphia Phillies skipper Gene Mauch, who had been let go by the Phils the previous summer.Īs it has been with many first year squads, the 1969 Expos were awful, finishing with 52 wins against 110 losses. The expansion Expos played in a small field called Jarry Park which, even after being expanded for MLB baseball, had a capacity of less than 30,000. Baseball would not return to Montreal until the city was granted a franchise in the newly configured National League East at the start of the 1969 season. Geographically, however, this marriage no longer made sense and the Dodgers ended the affiliation. One of Clemente’s teammates with the ’54 Royals was a 26-year old left-handed pitcher named Tom Lasorda.Įven though the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles following the 1957 season, Montreal remained a Dodger affiliate through the 1960 campaign. The 19 year old future Hall of Famer spent the 1954 season with the Royals before being lost to the Pirates in the Rule 5 draft after the season. In addition, it’s often forgotten that Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente was originally signed by the Dodgers. Montreal quickly became the #1 minor league affiliate of the Dodgers and hosted seven future Hall of Famers, famously including Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella. The Royals became affiliated with the Brooklyn Dodgers starting in 1939 and the Dodgers acquired a significant interest in the club in 1940. Jackie Robinson FoundationĪfter a couple of other iterations, Montreal was back in business with the International League starting in 1928. Future Hall of Famer Waite Hoyt, 17 years old at the time, was a member of the 1917 Montreal Royals. Montreal also had a team in the Eastern League late in the 19th century before returning to the International League in the 1910’s. Baseball in Montreal before the Major LeaguesĪccording to the Hall of Fame website, professional baseball in Montreal dates back to 1890, in the International Association. ![]() What follows is a brief history of baseball and Montreal and a tribute to the great players who played in the French Canadian city and whose deeds on the diamond keep the memory of Les Expos alive in the national consciousness. The city of Montreal is the only one in North America that enjoyed Major League Baseball throughout the 1970’s, ’80’s and ’90’s that no longer has a team to call its own. Also, best known for his years in Cincinnati, Tony Perez is the 7th former Expo with a plaque in Cooperstown.Īlthough the Expos remain in the history books as the relocated franchise now called the Washington Nationals, the Montreal Expos are essentially a defunct franchise. In addition, although he debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pedro Martinez became a star in Montreal. Guerrero joined Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines and Randy Johnson as the quintet of Hall of Famers who made their MLB debuts with Les Expos. This past Sunday, Vladimir Guerrero became the fifth product of the Montreal Expos farm system to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
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