As emotion permeated the air, a moving scene unfolded on the diamond. The Washington Nationals paused to pay homage to a legend, as the venerable Andre Dawson’s eyes welled with tears. The celebration marked his esteemed induction into the pantheon of baseball’s greatest – the Baseball Hall of Fame – during a game against the Florida Marlins on a summer night in Washington.
In a city etched with history, Dawson’s legacy took a surprising turn as he took pen to paper, reaching out to the esteemed Jane Forbes Clark, the chair of the Hall of Fame. The heart of his request? A simple yet profound alteration: to exchange the emblem on his Hall of Fame plaque from the Montreal Expos to the Chicago Cubs. This wasn’t just a matter of stitching and fabric—it was about where Dawson’s heart resonated the strongest in his storied career, a decision imposed upon him some thirteen years back against his wishes.
Speaking candidly to the Chicago Tribune, Dawson acknowledged the long odds of the institution accommodating his request. “I don’t expect them to jump on something like this,” he expressed, realistic about the pace at which the gears of such establishments turn.
Back in 2001, players enjoyed the prerogative to choose the logo that would grace their Hall of Fame memorabilia. However, a controversial moment in 1999 saw the policy shift. With rumors abounding that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays attempted to incentivize Wade Boggs to don their insignia on his plaque, the Hall took control over such decisions. Despite the stir, Boggs’s plaque featured a Red Sox cap upon his induction in 2005.
The Hall expressed its intention to converse with Dawson, although his letter had yet to land on their desk, according to spokesman Jon Shestakofsky. It wasn’t until the wings of three weeks had passed since Dawson’s election by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 2010 that the Hall disclosed their resolution: Dawson’s plaque would bear the Expos cap.
“I respect the Hall of Fame’s decision to put an Expos logo on my cap,” Dawson had acquiesced in an official statement, recognizing the Expos’ importance in his career trajectory. Yet emotions ran deep and raw for Dawson – on the very day of the announcement, he confessed to WMVP-AM in Chicago, “I’m disappointed… Chicago was my preference.”
The Hall’s criteria are steeped in impact and influence. When Dawson’s time came for evaluation, then Hall president Jeff Idelson pinpointed where Dawson’s prowess had resonated most profoundly. Yes, Dawson’s brilliance had shone in Montreal, equally dazzling in Chicago, albeit less so in Boston and Florida. But for the institution, it was about more than personal affinity; it was about a collective decision that echoed the duty to distill history accurately.
The numbers delineate a career saturated with accolades: 1,575 hits out of 2,774 with the Expos, six Golden Gloves in the very same uniform, with the peak coming as Montreal clenched its sole post-season series victory during his tenure. Dawson was the very fiber of the Expos fabric for his first eleven seasons, a gleaming rookie who burgeoned into an All-Star thrice over.
Yet, it was in Chicago where Dawson’s star blazed fiercely, capturing the 1987 NL MVP award with imposing stats that seared themselves into the annals of the game. And so, the debate continues, much like the timeless innings of the sport he so loves – it’s the legacy of Andre Dawson, a legend immortalized in bronze, and in the hearts of baseball fans everywhere.
