Former Major Leaguer Andre Dawson has asked Cooperstown to change the hat on his Hall of Fame plaque from the Montreal Expos to the Chicago Cubs, he told the Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan.
The 69-year-old, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010, said he recently sent a letter to the board of directors outlining his longstanding concerns with the Expos emblem on his hat. He spent the first 11 seasons of his career in Montreal before spending the next six in the north side of Chicago.
“When I think about them immortalizing a cap, it would be the Chicago Cubs for a lot of personal reasons,” Dawson said ahead of his 2010 induction. “When the announcement was made last night, it was a little gut-wrenching.”
Player inductees were permitted to select which team they wanted to represent on their Hall of Fame plaque until 2001, when that right was taken away amid rumours organizations attempted to influence their decisions via contract incentives. Wade Boggs, who wanted to be enshrined as a Tampa Bay Devil Ray despite only playing two seasons, was at the forefront of this controversy.
Boggs has repeatedly denied any claims about receiving a cash bonus and was inducted as a Boston Red Sox in 2005.
Dawson never had a choice in selecting which team’s logo would appear on his cap. While he’s grateful for all the success he enjoyed in Montreal, the 1987 National League MVP always preferred to represent the Cubs organization in Cooperstown, an objective he intends to fulfill no matter how long it takes.
“I just felt my preference all along was as a Cub, despite playing [11] years in Montreal,” Dawson said. “I had my reasons, and I think that should’ve been something we sat down and discussed. It’s hard for stuff to bother me, to a degree. But this has toyed with me over the years for the simple reason that I was approached with the [decision] that was going to be released to the press that I was going to wear an Expos emblem.
“I didn’t agree with it at the time. But for me, getting into the Hall was the most important thing. Over time, I’ve thought about it more and came to the [conclusion] I should have had some say-so … I personally feel my mission, for the rest of my life going forward if that’s what it takes, is to right a wrong.”
The eight-time All-Star said he’s yet to receive a response from the Hall of Fame regarding his request. But according to The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney, the board of directors intends to internally debate whether a change should be made.
In 2010, Dawson earned 77.9 per cent of the vote – 2.9 per cent above the required 75 per cent threshold for induction – in his ninth year on the ballot.
The Miami, Fla., native was selected in the 11th round by the Expos in 1975 and went on to play 1,443 career games with the franchise, posting 1,575 hits, 225 home runs, 838 RBIs and a .280/.326/.476 slash line. He was named the 1977 NL Rookie of the Year, won six Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers, earned three All-Star selections and finished as the MVP runner-up on two occasions (1981, 1983).
Dawson signed as a free agent with the Cubs in 1987 and was crowned the NL’s Most Valuable Player that season as he led the majors in RBIs (137) while finishing tied with Mark McGwire for the share in home runs (49). He went on to play 867 games, recording 929 hits, 174 home runs, 587 RBIs and slashing .285/.327/.507.
He appeared in five All-Star Games with Chicago, winning two Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger.
Following his departure from the Cubs after the 1992 season, Dawson spent two seasons with the Red Sox from 1993-94 before wrapping up his career with a two-year stint (’95, ’96) with the Marlins.
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