Cubs Legend Wants HOF Plaque Changed

When Andre Dawson went into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010, his plaque featured a Montreal Expos hat.

It seemed natural. After all, Dawson broke in with the Expos and played the first 11 years of his career there before he joined the Chicago Cubs in 1987.

But, on Tuesday, the Chicago Tribune reported that Dawson wants to change that hat on his plaque to a Chicago Cubs cap.

It’s an unusual request, but Dawson didn’t necessarily get much input. The Hall of Fame’s senior staff makes the determination about a player’s cap, a rule instituted in 2001.

“Hawk” played for four MLB teams, including Florida and Boston. But he is most associated with the Expos and the Cubs.

He has his reasons for wanting the cap changed. He told the Tribune that his preference was a Cubs hat, and the story referenced a quote from Dawson in 2010, who said he found the selection “gut-wrenching.”

But he didn’t make a fuss — at the time. But he told the Tribune that he’s never gotten away from the notion that he associates himself with the Cubs more than the Expos, who are no longer in Montreal and are now the Washington Nationals. That, in part, was because of how Chicago welcomed him when he joined the team.

“It was an eye-opening experience for me,” he said. “The adoration of the fan base, the welcoming from the city itself and the joy of being able to experience that feeling in the second half of my career. … I was one of the more popular players in Montreal, but I wouldn’t consider myself an organizational icon or the most popular.”

In some respects, Dawson’s career backs up his logic. While he was a Rookie of the Year and a three-time All-Star with Montreal, he didn’t become an MVP until he joined the Cubs in 1987. He also made more All-Star Game appearances with Chicago (five).

He also hit 174 home runs with the Cubs in 3,262 official at-bats. With the Expos, he needed 5,628 to reach 225 home runs.

Dawson’s expectations for a plaque change are low. He’s sent a letter to the Hall of Fame and hasn’t heard back. He’s not even sure he’ll hear back.

But he told the Tribune he’s not worried about what others will say.

“I realize there will probably be some backlash, but at this point I’m 70 years old,” he said with a laugh. “Do you think I really care?”