Andre Dawson’s induction into the Hall of Fame on Sunday will mark just the second time Cooperstown will honor the legacy of the Montreal Expos.
For a time in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the best organization in baseball resided north of the border; where Dawson, fellow Hall of Famer Gary Carter, Steve Rogers, Tim Raines and Warren Cromartie were the vanguard of a team that sprouted prospects and fielded competitive teams that spent many a September in the heart of the National League East pennant chase.
While the team fell a game short of the World Series in 1981, Montreal’s greatest team was the 1994 edition that bolted out to a 74-40 record before the strike delivered what would prove to be the death knell to the franchise’s existence in Canada.
Currently disguised as the Washington Nationals and featuring several players (Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman) who may one day merit Cooperstown consideration, the club’s heart will always belong in Montreal, which is why we take the time to salute the 25 greatest players who donned the blue, red and white from 1969-2004.