By Paul SullivanAndre Dawson met with representatives from the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum on Thursday morning in New York before his introductory news conference, but made no announcement on which cap he will be wearing on his plaque.
A source told the Tribune's Fred Mitchell that Dawson would prefer to go in as a Cub.
Watch Andre Dawson address the media today.
A Hall of Fame representative said no decision would be announced Thursday.
"At the end of the day you want the logo to represent where this
guy made his greatest impact," Hall president Jeff Idelson told the Associated Press. "He was impactful in Montreal. He was impactful in Chicago, and to a much lesser extent
Boston and Florida, but it's more of a case sitting down and collectively make a decision."
In a guest appearance on "Chicago Tribune Live," Dawson said he knew "in my heart of hearts" which cap he would like to be wearing, but declined to identify the team and confirmed that a decision has not been made.
Dawson spent the first half of his 21-year career in Montreal, as opposed to only six seasons with the Cubs, where he arguably reached the peak of his popularity. He is said to prefer the Cubs cap, but conceded Wednesday that the final decision was to be made by the Hall of Fame, which took it out of the players' hands in 2001.
"I'm grateful the Cubs organization gave me the opportunity to wear their uniform," he said. "I played a little bit longer in Montreal. Of course, that's where I got my initial start. But I'll tell you, going to Wrigley Field, playing in the Friendly Confines amongst the Cubs fans, that was amazing in itself.
"That really rejuvenated my career, I think, and put me at a point in time where I was unsure about myself in the game, and how much longer I was going to stay in the game. The way the Cubs fan embraced me that first year pretty much propelled me on to win the National League MVP award and I owe that organization a lot for believing in me.
"They didn't really meet the demands initially, but I just felt that since I played in a media center, I played somewhere where the fans really took a hold and adored me, and made me really want to go out and want to be, not a crowd-pleaser, but to not embarrass them and just give it what they expect day-in and day-out."
Dawson thanked Expos fans for their "support" but was not as effusive in his comments about the organization.
Photo: Andre Dawson, the newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, speaks during a news conference in New York, on Thursday. (AP / Bebeto Matthews)
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Wow! to those of you with the reasoning that it should be Cubs based on the Expos moving to Washington... all I can say is wow! I feel sorry for you. What an intelligent way to look at it!
so let's change Duke Snider's cap to be a Mets cap and let's kick Jackie Robinson completely out of the Hall because the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to LA, or maybe leave Robinson's cap blank (he only played for Brooklyn). It's apparently the only logical things to do... idiots.
As for Dawson... either way, Cubs or 'Spos, he'd be well represented in the Hall. He did so much for both teams. My vote goes to the Expos, I think he did a little more for them.
Go Hawk!
Go Expos!
Go Hockey!
Go Great Wine with Fish!
Who are the Expos???? Oh thats right they're now the Washington Nationals but many do not know this fact. In any event Dawson needs to go into the hall with an existing team he played for not some defunct failed team whose population only supports hockey and knows what type of wine to order with fish. The team that needs to represented by Dawson is the Chicago Cubs!
So what he didn't take a lot of walks ? Taking a walk doesn't usually get a run in and more often than not, the batter never scores after the walk, so it's not a stat that should really count much. Homers, rbi's, stolen bases and stellar defense are better criteria of a good player. The Hawk is one of 3 players with over 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases (and one of them is Barry Bonds, who no longer counts, so really Dawson is one of two such players and the other one was Willie Mays). He more than deserved to be in the Hall of Fame and they took way too long to get it done. I hope he goes in with a Cubs cap, but don't really care that much. I'm just happy he's finally in.
As a follow up to my original point, there are plenty of ex-players that go on to assume new roles within the baseball community or in the normal business community. That should in no way inhibit your ability to remain somewhat visible with the team you once played for. Fact of the matter......Dawson has been pretty absent as a Cub alum. Too many examples of other players successfully staying in public eye, especially here in Chicago, to accept notion that a job in a different city can make that impossible to achieve. Also, I wasn't suggesting the guy is some malicious money hungry person. I just disagree with the notion that because he was kind enough to send back an autographed photo that he is any more charitable than another ex player. In the end, they all feel slighted financially when their playing days end and they see what players today make. It's only human nature to want to have lasting association with an entity like the Cubs vs. the Expos. I just hope a guy like him, with a relatively good reputation with fans and baseball people, doesn't go overboard politicking to be inducted as a Cub.
Andre amassed 2/3 of his offensive stats as an Expo. The HOF is a lifetime achievement award. AD belongs in the HOF as an Expo. If he had played with a storied US franchise for the first 11 years of his career (e.g., Dodgers, Cards), this would not even be a story. Pauvre les T-Rexpos!
Dawson should enter as a Cub, because only hitter-friendly Wrigley Field and WGN Superstation coverage got him into the Hall of Fame with mediocre numbers (a .323 OBP, usually drew just 35 walks a year). Check Dawson's numbers against those of Ron Santo, Dwight Evans, and even Harold Baines and you'll see the other three all had better numbers (and like Dawson were class acts) yet didn't come close to making the Hall.
I don't think Andre cares two craps about the money. I also don't think he left on the best terms with the Cubs and the Marlins organization embraced him. Andre has forgiven the Cubs organization since then from what I read. He has come back to the Cubs Convention and has come back and sung the seventh inning stretch on numerous occasions. Andre had great career and was solid for both the Cubs and the Expos. I remember the three Expos outfielders and their cannons for arms, Cromarte, Valentine and Dawson. That was a great outfield. I don't think there was any love loss when he left there either.
It only makes sense that Andre would like to go in as a Cub, since Montreal doesn't even have a team any longer.
Sean Tunney
-If this guy felt such a personal connection with Cubs lore, then where the hell has he been since playing days ended?-
He works for the FL Marlins. There is where he has been since he retired.
If you're Andre, you have to ask yourself: Which will benefit me more (financially, socially, etc.)? To be a Cubs or Expos Hall of Famer?
The answer lies in the fact that Montreal doesn't even have a Major League Baseball team any more.
Say what you will about the HOF process, hat selection, etc., but Andre Dawson is not motivated by money (as proposed by one commenter). I remember as a child sending away autograph requests to my favorite players around the league. Most of the time I never heard anything back, never received my card, forgot the whole thing.
With Dawson it was different. Instead of signing my card, he returned it along with a 8x11 signed picture of himself and a letter that requested a donation to the charity he supported. With the amount of guys out there who cash in on autograph shows, memorabilia and licensing agreements, it's pretty impressive that he took his 'value' and turned it towards something good.
You're right to be jaded regarding player's motivations, but with Andre Dawson is wasn't the case. Congrats, Hawk.
Couldnt agree more with Sean. What a joke the entire hof process is and as far as Dawson goes, has he even been back to chgo once since he left?
I do agree with mike hunt that we need to keep the campaign going to get rid of hendry.
All this talk about Dawson wanting to go in as a Cub is motivated by more than simply his numbers on the field or tenure with teams. Let's see what the future holds for a newly inducted HOF player. If an Expo, he can make appearances in a city that no longer has a team. If a Cub, he immediately re-enters the picture in one of the nations largest sports outlets as a high profile sports celebrity, thereby creating far greater financial opportunities for him. If this guy felt such a personal connection with Cubs lore, then where the hell has he been since playing days ended? On a personal note, the amount of attention the MLB HOF gets has sickened me. Grossly misinformed and biased media voters. Snobbish members (like Joe Morgan). And seriously flawed criteria for consideration (ie. 300 wins). Makes for a trip to Cooperstown to end up of meaning a lot less to me down the road than it did when I was a kid 20-30 years ago.
Congratulations to a great ballplayer but lets not get hung up on something that happened to the losers over 20 yrs ago. Lets get serious about getting rid of the biggest bum of a gm ever-Jim Spendry. Save Flubbies baseball-fire Jim Spendry.
Who the hell cares?
Excuse me Confused, but if Chicago Rainbow Sox Fan wants to use his one Telephone/E-mail explaining how he is some rice, taco and beans shy of a combination platter, than I do believe this country has given the right to be a dumbass cub fan who gets to speak, vote and unfortunatly have a youngin.
Dear Chicago Rainbow Sox fan:
What the H-E-double hockeystick are you talking about?
Get a life, man. At least talk baseball.
Let me just clarify, Rose was not found guilty of anything that was linked to his gambling on baseball games. I know he cheated on his taxes.
I'm not talking about whether they were found guilty in a court of law or not. I'm talking about whether or not MLB will let Joe Jackson in the Hall of Fame. It's been 91 years since that happened and MLB has never even thought of reinstating Joe Jackson and letting him in the Hall. They were found innocent in a court of law, even though Jackson and one other signed a confession that said they did take money, but that still doesn't change the fact that they almost killed the sport of baseball for good. Pete Rose was never found guilty of anything in court either, but that doesn't change the fact he is a douche whose actions cast a shadow over the sport.
So keep on crying Sox fans about how the Cubs have another former player in the Hall. If the White Sox had their way, they would have murdered the sport a long time ago and there would be no Hall of Fame to talk about! I said it once and I'll say it again, baseball shouldn't have stopped at Shoeless Joe. They should have disbanded the whole team for their attempt to destroy the great sport of baseball!
It's little funny to hear Cubs fans slag the Expos' support during the Andre Dawson era there. The Expos of 77-86 usually outdrew the Cubs of the same era, although in the years after Dawson became a Cub, their attendance improved while Montreal's obviously went the other way. I can understand a player's reluctance to be remembered for playing for a team that no longer exists, but the Expos were a good team during that era that was well supported both in Montreal and in Canada as a whole. I think he had more good years in Montreal, being runner-up in the NL MVP vote twice, though obviously he had his single best year as a Cub in '87. I think he should go in as an Expo, although I would be just as happy to see him enshrined as a Cub.
"But the passion and excitement he instilled in Cubs fans is more compelling than where the bulk of the stats were achieved."
You don't get into the HOF for instilling passion in fans. Heck, I bet some scanitly clad cheerleaders would rile the fans up and instill passion but that shouldn't get them into the HOF. You get into the HOF for stats, period, so that is the compelling argument, period.
I enjoyed the irony of a guy complaining about somebody spelling Sandberg wrong, spelling Cubs wrong in the same post.
http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/dawson.html#comment-214622
Intellectually, the argument for Dawson wearing an Expo hat is considerable. But the passion and excitement he instilled in Cubs fans is more compelling than where the bulk of the stats were achieved.
He's going in as a Cub, unless its the eggheads at HOF who win out.
Although, like Andre, i'd love to see him wearing a Cub hat in Cooperstown, i won't be surprized if MLB chooses a Expo hat instead. And perhaps that would be the right thing to do, although i'd like to recheck Bruce Sutter's stats, since he went in as a Cardinal instead of as a Cub, which was Bruce's preference. Maybe Sutter spent more of his career as a Card than he did as a Cub, i don't really know, but would be interested to know.
Perhaps that's what they should do, make a player who played for several teams go in with a cap of whichever team he played the most games for. Anyways, until they do make a rule set in stone about which club a player is to represent, i would hope that Dawson is able to go in wearing the cap that he wants to wear.
Montreal was actually one of the better franchises baseball had in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Dawson spent the majority of his time there. During that time it ranked in the upper third in attendance. Montreal's decline happened well after Dawson left town and it was still a credible franchise until the 1994 strike. Fans there didn't come back like they did in most of the other cities.
If Dawson prefers to wear the Cubs cap, he damned sure ought to be able to do so. Montreal is a great city for hockey (or used to be) and and the Alouettes hold their own on the 110 yard CFL field but who knows how good Dawson could have been if he didn't have to play on the early days of Astro Turf? If it was the Veteran's Committee making the call, he'd probably be screwed royally like Santo and a few others.
With the tendency for players to frequently switch teams in the career, the Hall of Fame should adopt a policy whereby they simply have the player wear the cap of the team that they played the most games for. Look at guys like Roberto Alomar, and in a few years, Randy Johnson. They both played for a multitude of teams. This debate will only intensify unless the HOF puts an end to it.
Very happy for Dawson. He definitely deserved to get in on the second try. Sadly, I don't see Santo getting in untill he passes away.
On another note. I want to see what happens in the next few years when the likes of Bonds, Clemens, Biggio, Sammy, and Piazza come up for votes.
Who cares if he goes in as a Cub or an Expo? Even if he goes in as an Expo, he still played six solid years as a Cub and no one can take that away from us. Here's a question for you and all the other jerk Sox fans out there. Why is the best player in your team's history not in the Hall of Fame? Could it be because he took money to throw the World Series and almost killed the entire sport? Why they didn't just disband the White Sox for attempted murder of the sport of baseball I just don't know.
Well gee Doug, I'll take a stab at it. Could it be because the entire team was not involved and even those that were were found not guilty in a court of law? I don't know about Sox fans being jerks, but I know at least one Cubs fan that is not a rocket scientist.
Despite his paltry credentials (.323 OBP) at least he was a class act. As are Santo, Evans, and Baines.
He should enter as a Cub. Only hitter-friendly Wrigely Field and WGN Superstation slobbering inflated his stats and his reputation and got him elected despite lackluster stats and a paltry .323 On-base-pct. thar aren't hall-of-fame worthy. Tim Raines, Ron Santo, and Dwight Evans all had superior stats and none are in.
Dawson will wear the Expos hat for history's sake, unless it's about money/publicity for the HOF...which of course would then pick one of the Top 3 most popular teams in MLB over an extinct team & extinct city. Santo will wear a Cubs hat, hopefully while he's still alive. C'mon Hall voters let's go.
Hawk played in many empty seats in Montreal, and there are few, if any baseball fans there, who even appreciates Dawson. There is a reason why that organization is now the Washington Nationals. Montreal does not deserve to have any Hall of Famer wearing their cap. However, Andre spent most of his career in Montreal, and will probably wear their cap. I am happy he made the Hall of Fame. Andre is a class act,
Dawson had a couple of good years (one exceptional) with the Cubs. He SHOULD go in with an Expos hat; that's where he became the player he was. Dawson was probably the first in a long line of players who came to the Cubs and absolutely loved it here (see: Karros, Lofton, Kendall, Reed Johnson, Edmonds).
He was a great Cubs player, NOT a Cubs legend with the likes of Banks, Williams, Santo, Sandberg, or Jenkins. It would be a disservice to the Expos (quality of organization and fan base on withstanding) if Dawson wears a Cubs cap.
Congrats to Mr. Dawson. He will always be welcome in Wrigley.
Go Cubs.
"Dawson made his biggest impact as a Cub..." - "Howard the duck"
Biggest impact? How do you measure that? Dawson was a better, a more complete baseball player with the Expos. He was a much better fielder & a much better baserunner (check his stolen bases) when he was an Expo. His hitting stats are fairly similar between the two teams.
Dawson made his biggest impact as a Cub - but if he went in as an Expo, I wouldn't be surprised nor would I be upset.
Maddux should definitely go in as a Brave - though his numbers with the Cubs were a lot better than some non-Chicagoans remember.
As for the poster who said there are more important things going on - Well yes, there are. But this site is for sports. If you want to read about "important" issues then go to a different website.
You know, I always thought it was up to the player what hat to wear not the HOF committee.
He'll go to HOF wearing a Marlins hat so STFU you lame Cub fans. Marlins have won 2 WS in the last 20 years compared to you bums who haven't won didly squat in a 102 years LMAO nuff said
"At the end of the day you want the logo to represent where this guy made his greatest impact..." - Hall president Jeff Idelson
That settles it. Greg Maddux should go into the Hall of Fame in a Braves hat.
What hat is Shoeless Joe Jackson wearing in the HOF?
Oh that's right, he took bribes to fix a World Series.
Why does this story continue to be breaking news? Does anyone really care? There are more important things to be concerned about.
jlachky on January 7, 2010 5:37 PM
Sung to the tune of an always bad Steve Goodman song
Ex-Po-O's , Ex-Po-o's
Hey, Hey,
whatta you say
Andre's wearing their hat today
Go Sox
-------------------------------------------------
Who cares if he goes in as a Cub or an Expo? Even if he goes in as an Expo, he still played six solid years as a Cub and no one can take that away from us. Here's a question for you and all the other jerk Sox fans out there. Why is the best player in your team's history not in the Hall of Fame? Could it be because he took money to throw the World Series and almost killed the entire sport? Why they didn't just disband the White Sox for attempted murder of the sport of baseball I just don't know.
"Dawson over Sandburg is also equally wrong."
First, it's SandbErg. Second, he's already in the Hall of Fame.
I'd expect better from someone with that screen name...
Sung to the tune of an always bad Steve Goodman song
Ex-Po-O's , Ex-Po-o's
Hey, Hey,
whatta you say
Andre's wearing their hat today
Go Sox
"Dawson over Sandburg is also equally wrong."
First, it's SandbErg. Second, he's already in the Hall of Fame.
I;d expect better from someone with that screen name...
He had a couple great years, and a few decent years, but unfortunately for me, the thing I will always remember about him is how poorly he played in the '89 playoffs. My memory is of him striking out, again and again. At the time, I felt he bore the bulk of the responsibility for the Cubs losing that series.
Dawson but not Santo is a disgrace. Dawson over Sandburg is also equally wrong.