Warren Cromartie suited up for over a thousand games with the Montreal Expos between 1974 and 1983. “Cro,” a fan favourite to this day, famously waved the Canadian flag at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia after recording the final out in the Expos’ victory over the Phillies to capture the 1981 NL East Division Championship. In 1984, Cromartie became perhaps the most prominent American ballplayer still in his prime to sign with a Japanese baseball team. Cro led the Yomiuri Tokyo Giants in RBIs three times, twice in homeruns and batting average, and was named Central League MVP in 1989 en route to a Japan League Championship for the Giants. In 1991, Cromartie returned to North America for a final Major League season, hitting .313 for the Kansas City Royals.

A native of Miami, Florida, Cromartie has kept close ties with the Montreal community since the end of his playing days through charitable work, speaking engagements, and involvement with local businesses. In 2012, Cromartie founded Montreal Baseball Project, transferring the same passion and hustle he employed on the playing field to the ongoing campaign to bring baseball back to Montreal.