Outfielder Andre “The Hawk” Dawson, who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball, wants to change the logo on the cap of his Hall of Fame plaque from the Montreal Expos to the Chicago Cubs.
Fox News via The New York Post reports the Baseball Hall of Fame, located in Cooperstown, NY, selects the team logo that goes on the hat of each player’s plaque. Therefore, the Hall put the Expos logo on Dawson’s plaque when he was inducted in 2010, making him the second Expo in the Hall of Fame along with Gary Carter.
Dawson expressed his disappointment when the decision was initially made and recently brought the issue back up, saying he had always thought of 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.”
Dawson added that although he was one of the more popular players in Montreal, he doesn’t consider himself an organizational icon. When Dawson became a free agent, he was basically forced out of Montreal. According to Dawson, landing in Chicago rejuvenated his career.
The 1987 National League MVP and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner played the first 11 years of his career with the Montreal Expos, now known as the Washington Nationals, before signing with the Chicago Cubs after the 1986 season
In addition to winning the MVP as a Cub, five of Dawson’s eight All-Star appearances came in Chicago. However, Dawson won six of his eight Gold Glove awards with the Expos, as did his only postseason victory. Dawson’s No. 10 was also retired by the Expos, although seven players have worn it since the team moved to Washington.
Dawson had a lifetime batting average of .287, collecting 438 home runs, 1,591 RBI, and stealing 314 bases. He was also a four-time Silver Slugger award winner and was voted the 1977 National League Rookie of the Year.
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