One question I am asked often is “Will MBP honor the 1994 Expos?” The answer, simply, is YES. Next year will mark the 20-year anniversary of the incredible season that saw the Expos finish (too early, unfortunately) with a Major League Baseball-best record of 74-40. That team deserved – and deserves – more. If you’re reading this, I hardly have to remind you how great that team was. Walker, Alou, Grissom, Hill, Martinez, Wetteland, and Rojas are just the first names that come to mind when I think of that roster. And with the wise and crafty Felipe Alou at the helm, the ’94 Expos were truly a team for the ages.
Montreal Baseball Project’s activities in 2014 will focus on the 1994 Montreal Expos. Those players, many of whom never got to return to Montreal in an Expos’ uniform after the work stoppage was over, are due a very special tribute. While we can’t make up for what should have been, we can at least say thank you to that team and congratulate them properly for being the best team in baseball and, at least in our hearts, World Series champs. Stay tuned for further updates.
The ’94 Expos are in the long-range plans, but what about the short-term for MBP? I’m happy to say that we’ll be back in the community again in 2013. Like last year, I’ll be personally spending a significant amount of time in Montreal this year. But rather than concentrate all of our efforts on one specific weekend, this year’s MBP activities will be spread out over the calendar. Our baseball clinics in 2012 were an amazing experience for both the kids who participated and us former pros who got a chance to not only impart some wisdom but to connect up close with fans, old and new. Plans are coming together for a series of clinics in 2013. I’ll be bringing up some former Expos to take part in the schools and to connect with the community. The love for baseball is alive and well in Montreal and it’s my hope that grassroots initiatives like these will boost baseball’s popularity and win many new converts to the sport.
All the details will appear here on the MBP website when the dates, times, and venues are confirmed. In the meantime, let me say thank you for visiting our new site. We’ve only been up for a short time, but the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s always great to hear from Montreal baseball fans, and there sure are a lot of you!