Bronfman's speech 50 years ago dealt with Expos' despair in 1968

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Fifty years ago today when he gave a speech to members of the Canadian Club in Montreal, Charles Bronfman laid out the heartbreak that almost resulted in the 1968 dissolution of Montreal's new Major League Baseball franchise in the National League.

In a 4x6 souvenir booklet containing that dramatic speech given to me by Peggy Bougie of Beaconsfield, Que., Bronfman told the club members of the despair he faced in saving the franchise from heading to somewhere below the border.

"For many of the citizens of the City of Montreal, the Province of Quebec and, indeed of Canada, the trauma surrounding the establishment of the Major League Baseball franchise last summer was almost unbearable,'' Bronfman said in his opening remarks.

In May of 1968, with the help of city councillor Gerry Snyder, Montreal was awarded the franchise but much work was needed over the course of three hectic months to get the project off the ground.

"A feeling of general elation at the announcement of the awarding of the franchise on May 27 deteriorated to complete dejection and it appeared that for lack of suitable playing facilities, loss of sponsors and lack of time, that this franchise would have to be abdicated,'' Bronfman said. "This on-again, off-again situation was finally resolved at an emotionally charged press conference.''

As Bronfman said in his address, "At 4:35 p.m. on Aug. 14, 1968 at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal, Mr. Warren Giles, President of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, made the following simple announcement: "Montreal is now a fully-fledged member of the National League.''

Bronfman, without bragging, had saved the franchise from going elsewhere by stepping up to provide the major financial support needed to be a major shareholder in the team.

"I am here -- not simply as a fan who is enthusiastic about the prospects for Major League Baseball in Canada -- but as a businessman, who is only beginning to fully appreciate the economic implications of this move for our city and our country,'' Bronfman told the Canadian Club.

"The type of partnership that exists in this project hopefully is a forerunner of future undertakings in Montreal. The Beaudry brothers, Lorne Webster, Hugh Hallward, Syd Maislin, John Newman, John McHale and I represent a broad spectrum which thus far has become molded into an understanding, action-taking unit.''

As he continued his speech, he talked about the impact the Expos would have on the rest of Canada.

"Through our participation in Major League Baseball, young men from all over Canada will be encouraged to think in terms of careers in professional baseball,'' Bronfman said. "There have been some great Canadian players in the past and there are some today, most notably the great pitcher, Ferguson Jenkins.

"Perhaps our most important contribution is that of our management team itself. As you know, our president and partner John McHale has recently turned down the opportunity of being Commissioner of Baseball to remain here. It is a continuing and great pleasure for us to be associated with John McHale. He is not only an outstanding executive but a very fine human being.

"It is of great interest to note that Montreal, the city that was chosen to break the infamous colour line in Organized Baseball, was also chosen as the first city in the world outside the United States to have a franchise in Major League Baseball. There is no doubt that the outstanding success of Expo '67 had much to do with our selection,'' Bronfman said.

"On April 8, 1969 at Shea Stadium in New York City, two teams will take the field. After the Star Spangled Banner, fifty thousand Americans will remain standing as for the first time in the history of Major League Baseball, the band strikes up O Canada and our national flag is proudly unfurled. That will be a great day for all of us,'' Bronfman said in concluding his speech.

For that, he got a standing ovation.

Fifty years later, Bronfman's son Stephen, along with Mitch Garber and a few others, represent a "broad spectrum'' of strong ownership pushing for the return of baseball to Montreal. It was a sad day when Charles Bronfman sold the Expos in the early 1990s. If he had remained owner, Montreal would likely still have its big-league franchise but we cannot quarrel with his decision to give up the Expos to a consortium led by Claude Brochu.

We are comforted by the thought that there is much enthusiasm for baseball's return on top of the strong ownership group that is in place. Rapper Annakin Slayd, with the help of Leesa Mackey, has belted out many Expos-themed songs over the years. Matthew Ross and his Expos Nation organization have done wonders to spread the word. Esteemed broadcaster Elias Makos is the keen, enthusiastic administrator of the @Montreal_Expos Twitter handle. Exposfest founder Perry Giannias is rousing interest with his multitude of fund-raising events and autograph sessions

Broadcasters, journalists and authors such as myself, Mitch Melnick, Jeremy Filosa, Serge Touchette, Marc de Foy, Jacques Doucet, Rodger Brulotte, Bob Elliott, Kevin Glew and many others on social media are doing their little bit to talk it up and relive Expos memories from yesteryear with chatter, postings of photos and other tidbits.

As we look back, we can only thank Charles Bronfman for what he did in 1968 to save the Expos from oblivion before they even got off the ground.

Danny Gallagher's most recent book is Blue Monday, which centers on the 1981 NLCS between the Expos and Dodgers.