From Eleventh-Round Pick to Hall of Fame: Phenomenon Andre Dawson

André Dawson is undoubtedly one of the five best players in the history of the Montreal Expos and in the hearts of many fans, he is at the top.

A player with no history, he was a phenomenon because very few athletes have been able to combine speed and power with such ease and consistency.

His presence in the Hall of Fame (2010) is therefore not the effect of chance or luck. His stats speak for themselves and can you imagine if the Hawk hadn’t been handicapped by recurring knee injuries throughout his career, what his total output would have been?

Moreover, these famous injuries caused his departure from Montreal because he questioned the quality of the synthetic surface on which he played 50% of the time. Surface which had become a source of suffering for him.

Wouldn’t it have been worthwhile at the time to invest in a new surface and thus make sure to keep the services of this exceptional player for whom the following years, spent in a Cubs uniform, will have been successful?

But how did the Expos get their hands on this future MVP as far back as the eleventh round of the 1975 amateur draft? Luck will say some or an exemplary flair to unearth new talents. A mixture of the two in my opinion, because at such a late rank, all the teams decided to ignore this unique talent and on several occasions.

Thanks to this vision, Expos fans had the privilege of watching Dawson evolve for ten years, from 1976 to 1986. The following year, his first in Chicago, he won the title of Most Valuable Player by flying over the League nationally in a big way.

It should also be mentioned that in 1977, André Dawson was rewarded for his great start in the Majors by receiving the title of Rookie of the Year.

Dawson is in a league of his own, alongside names like Barry Bonds, Carlos Beltran, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez in the select group of athletes who have hit over 400 home runs and stolen over 300 career bases. For his part, he totaled 438 long balls and 314 larceny throughout his brilliant career.

The one who bears the nickname of Hawk had all the assets to succeed in the sport he loved, but he always remained humble giving all the credit to his grandmother who allowed him to pursue studies at a higher level and thus be visible to Major League Baseball scouts.

In 1975, the Expos will have had a lucky hand, because to end up with a member of the Temple by playing such a late card is a miracle.

André Dawson was a well-kept secret who proved his true worth during a successful 21-season career.