Montreal Expos

Lore & Background

The Expos were named after the Expo 67 World's Fair. They originally played at Jarry Park Stadium before moving to Olympic Stadium in 1977. The team won its only division title in the strike-shortened 1981 season, but lost the 1981 National League Championship Series (NLCS) to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Felipe Alou became MLB's first Dominican-born manager in 1992 and led the team to four winning seasons, including 1994, where the Expos had the best record in baseball before a players' strike ended the season. After the 1994 strike, the Expos sold off their best players, and attendance declined. Major League Baseball bought the Expos ahead of the 2002 season. In their final two seasons, the team played 22 home games each year at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On September 29, 2004, MLB announced the franchise would move to Washington, D.C., and the Expos played their final home game in Montreal before relocating and being renamed the Washington Nationals.

In Their Own Story

The air in Olympic Stadium was thick with humidity and anticipation, a stark contrast to the cold wind often blowing off the Schuylkill. It was Game 7 of the 1980 NLCS, and the fate of two cities hung in the balance. As Steve Carlton stepped onto the mound, his long hair tucked under his cap, he faced the heart of the Montreal order, a lineup that had tormented him all year. The crowd, a sea of blue and red, roared with every pitch. In this moment, the regular-season skirmishes faded into memory; this was war. When Carlton struck out the final batter to seal the victory for Philadelphia, the silence in Montreal was profound, while across the river in Philly, the celebration had already begun.

Reader's Guide

The Expos posted an overall win–loss record of [not specified in source] during their years in Montreal. Vladimir Guerrero leads the franchise in both home runs and batting average, and Steve Rogers in wins and strikeouts. Three pitchers threw four no-hitters: Bill Stoneman (twice), Charlie Lea, and Dennis Martínez, who pitched the 13th perfect game in Major League Baseball history. The Expos retired four numbers in Montreal, and nine former members have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, with Gary Carter, Andre Dawson and Tim Raines' plaques depicting them with Expos caps.

Did You Know?

• The Expos were the first MLB franchise located outside the United States.
• Bill Stoneman pitched the first no-hitter in Expos history on April 17, 1969, against the Philadelphia Phillies.
• Dennis Martínez pitched the 13th perfect game in MLB history while with the Expos.
• Felipe Alou, promoted to field manager in 1992, was MLB's first Dominican-born manager.