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The Montreal Expos draft Andre Dawson in the 11th-round in 1975. After 186 minor league games he earned a big league call up in September of ’76. The following year he was in majors for good.

When afforded a full-time position at baseball’s highest level, Dawson flourished. The ’77 campaign featured 139 games, 148 hits, 64 runs, and 65 RBI. He smacked a team-leading nine triples on his way to 54 extra-base hits.

Dawson’s performance earned him the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

Shown here is a 1977 baseball card with four rookie outfielders. The first Topps card Dawson appeared on, it also shows Gene Richards, John Scott, and Denny Walling. The Montreal fly-catcher signed the card which is authenticated by Beckett.

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The NL’s Rookie of the Year in 1977 was Andre Dawson. The AL honor went to Eddie Murray. Both men went on to Hall of Fame careers.

Murray played in 160 games in his rookie campaign, tallying 173 hits, 29 doubles, 27 homers, and 88 RBI. His 123 OPS+ and 3.2 WAR in his age-21 campaign was a prelude to his career excellence.

Shown here is a contract signed by Murray on November 25, 1978. In it, he agrees to add his signature to the baseballs with stamped autographs of his teammates. The terms of the contract? The slugger received one cent per ball sold.

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After winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 1977 Andre Dawson followed with a solid 1978 campaign, hitting 25 and stealing 28 bases. On February 28, 1979 Dawson signed this contract with Topps Chewing Gum.

He finished ’79 in the NL’s top ten in total bases, runs batted in, and stolen bases. In his career “The Hawk” tallied more than 400 homers and 1500 RBI on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

Click here to see a video of Andre Dawson speaking about this website and the thrill of being on a baseball card.

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Andre Dawson’s plaque in Cooperstown features a Montreal Expos cap for good reason. The Hawk spent the first 11 seasons of his career north of the border from 1976-1986. Playing for the Expos, Dawson earned the 1977 Rookie of the Year Award, represented the club three times in the Mid Summer Classic, earned four Gold Gloves, and three Silver Sluggers.

Dawson’s final game for the team that drafted him came on October 5, 1986. Playing at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, the right fielder went 0-for-4 in the Phillies’ 2-1 ten-inning victory. Dawson’s final plate appearance in an Expos uniform came in the 10th inning when former teammate Dan Schatzeder issue him an intentional walk.

Five months later when he singed with the Cubs, Dawson left Montreal as the Expos franchise leader in hits, homers, and RBI.

Shown here is a ticket to Dawson’s final game as a member of the Montreal Expos. Notice his signature and inscription, “Last Game With Expos”.

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Andre Dawson played the first 7 years of the 1980s with the Montreal Expos and the final three of the decade with the Chicago Cubs. By the time the 80s were over, Dawson tallied 290 homers, 895 RBI, and a 128 OPS+.

The ten-year span saw him earn 8 Gold Glove Awards, 6 All Star appearances, four Silver Sluggers, and an MVP Award. Quite simply, he was one of the best players of the decade.

Before the start of the 1982 season Andre Dawson received this check from the Major League Baseball Players Association for the sum of $2,527. A nice chunk of change for the 27-year old outfielder.

The check has the stamped signature of labor leader Marvin Miller and features Dawson’s signature on the endorsement on the reverse of the check.

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It appears Dawson took this check to the bank and requested $1,300 in cash while getting a cashier’s check for the balance. The 1982 season was an All Star and Gold Glove year for The Hawk.

Dawson played 11 years in Montreal, totalling 225 homers and 838 RBI for the Expos. His finest years were from 1980-1983. In those four seasons he amassed 29 WAR. His OPS+ was 140. This put him on the path to Cooperstown.

Known for his poise and quiet class, Dawson was beloved by teammates in Montreal, Chicago, Boston, and Florida.

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According to Rick Sutcliffe, Greg Maddux chose a beanball over the big leagues. Maddux’s Cub teammate from 1986-1990, Sutcliffe tells a great story about Maddux’s 24th career game.

The Cubs faced off against the Padres on July 7, 1987 at Wrigley Field.

“Greg Maddux was pitching that day and he’d been told before the game that if he doesn’t win, he’s going back to the minor leagues,” Sutcliffe explains.

In the top of the fourth Chicago’s Andre Dawson was hit by a fastball up and in.

“I remember Eric Show was pitching and hit Andre right in the face,” Maddux recalled. “Hawk was our main guy. I remember him laying there right on home plate kind of knocked out. Then he came to and spit a bunch of blood on the plate and then he started looking for Eric Show.”

After a bench-clearing brawl, Sutcliffe said he found the 21-year old Maddux and had a chat.

“I said, ‘Hey, here’s what you’re doing. You’re going to go get three outs, you’re going to get the win and then in the sixth inning you do whatever you want.’ He looked at me and went, ‘No’. He goes, ‘I’m hitting the first guy.’

“I said, ‘If you don’t get three outs, they’re going to send you to the minor leagues.’

“And with tears in his eyes he said, ‘I don’t care if I get another win.’

“And I’m getting goosebumps right now. I can still see his face.”

San Diego’s Benito Santiago led off the top of the next frame.

“He hit him,” Sutcliffe continues. “He got sent down to the minors and I think he had the minimum 15 days or whatever it was. He was back in the big leagues and he never saw that minor league bus again after that.”

Maddux had no regrets.

“I certainly would’ve lost a ton of respect if I didn’t hit anybody,” Maddux said later. “That was way more valuable than any win I could have ever gotten.”

It’s an inspiring story to be sure.

Shown here is Greg Maddux’s autographed Topps card from 1987, the same year the incident went down.

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Hall of Fame outfielder Andre Dawson had a long and productive career. He hit 20 or more homers in 13 seasons and 30 or more in three seasons. His career high of 49 came in his MVP year of 1987.

As his 21-year career came to a close, Dawson climbed the all-time lists making his way to Cooperstown. In the collection is Red Sox manager Butch Hobson’s lineup card from June 25, 1994. Hobson who signed the bottom of the card, penned Dawson’s name in cleanup spot as the Boston designated hitter.

Hawk had a great game amassing 10 total bases. He went 4-for-7 in the 12-inning contest, swatting two homers and a double. The second of his home runs was #426 of his career, tying him with Hall of Famer Sweet Swinging Billy Williams. At that time, the two men were tied at #22 on the all-time list.

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The Montreal Expos existed from 1969-2004. They are represented in Cooperstown by three men with the team’s cap on their heads.

Gary Carter was the first elected in 2003. Seven years later Andre Dawson got the Hall call. Tim Raines joined them in 2017.

Shown here is report on the Carter that was turned in by an advance scout. Such scouts stay one step ahead of their teams scouting the team they’ll play next. This scouting report on the catcher seems less than flattering for a Hall of Famer.

Among the points written here are, “Not hitting real well”, and the rating of his throwing arm, “Avg – not throwing well”.

Those notes certainly do not reflect the entirety of his Hall of Fame career; they’re merely snapshot taken on May 21, 1987.

When asked to autograph the scouting report Carter seemed to take offense at the poor remarks as he wrote, “Don’t always believe the scouting report” just above where he penned his signature.