Gallagher: Expos logo on Dawson's HOF plaque to be erased

Andre Dawson’s National Baseball Hall of Fame plaque will be redone without the Montreal Expos logo showing on his cap. Photo: National Baseball Hall of Fame

March 12, 2026

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

After 16 years, the Expos logo on Andre Dawson's plaque at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown will sadly disappear.

In a statement made this week to the Chicago Tribune, the Hall of Fame said Dawson will be given a new plaque with no logo on it.

Dawson wanted to go into the Hall of Fame in 2010 with a Cubs logo but Hall of Fame personnel told him he had to accept the Expos emblem because the main focus of his time in the majors was with Montreal. Dawson played 10+ seasons with the Expos, six with the Cubs.

Close to three years ago, Dawson broached the subject again with the Hall of Fame and asked that he be allowed to have the Chicago logo on his plaque.

After discussions with Dawson and the Hall of Fame's board of directors, the hall decided to compromise and allow Dawson to get a plaque with no logo.

Over the years, players like Fred McGriff and Greg Maddux and managers Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland elected not to have any team logo on their plaques.

"The new plaque will not feature a logo on Dawson's cap, allowing the Hall of Famer the option that is now given to all incoming inductees,'' the hall said in the statement. "That choice was not available when Dawson was elected in 2010 but was instituted four years later.

"Aside from the logo image on the cap, Dawson's plaque will be recast in the exact same form that it now depicts. The plaque will continue to list all the teams for which he played and his career description will not be altered.''

Dawson was not available for comment with me but he thanked the Hall of Fame for its decision through a statement released in conjunction with what the hall said.

"I extend special thanks with much appreciation to the Hall of Fame board of directors for a blank cap which allows me to represent each club fairly,'' Dawson said.

Most social media pundits weren't happy with either Dawson or the hall.

"I honestly don’t know who should be more embarrassed -- the Hall for being cowards or Dawson for being ungrateful to the team who drafted, developed and gave him an opportunity to become a star. Shame on both,'' Lee Finishen posted on X,

"To have no logo 16 years ago would have been bad but now, putting in a deliberate effort to have it removed is much worse,'' Jeffrey Zafiris said on X.

In the winter of 1986-87, baseball was marred by owners' collusion and Dawson was sadly placed in the middle of it as the poster boy. His salary in 1986 was $1.2 million and that winter, the Expos offered him $1-million. Disgusted, Dawson left to sign with the Cubs for only $500,000 in 1987.

"Andre was never disrespectful to Montreal or hated Montreal but Expos management said in the winter of 1986-87 that he was washed up,'' said Dawson's close friend Russ Hansen.

"He gave the Expos a lot of blood, sweat and tears and his heart and soul. His career was rejuvenated with the Cubs after all those years on the astroturf and concrete.''

All I know about this is I'm disappointed the Expos logo will be deleted from Hawk's plaque. I loved him as a player and I've communicated with him many times over the years.

I don't like what the hall did by erasing the Montreal logo but I will still talk with Hawk like I usually do.