Article March 2015

NOT JUST A

MONTREAL IS A ˄ HOCKEY TOWN

Christopher Chartier

March 2015

When I started what I now call the Montreal Expos FanGroup in 2006 it was a group of friends gathering together over a cup of coffee to discuss Nos Amours. The interesting thing about that group, we were all Montrealers who for whatever reason, moved to Ontario and then moved back to Quebec. It was not cool to wear Expos gear then. Often you could hear the catcalls, people not understand why we were supporting what they called a “Dead team.” I countered my dream is to get my team back, they should have never left.

When I moved to the web and then Facebook there were just a handful of Expos groups. Encore Baseball Montreal (A great group in French that supports not just the Expos but has a lot of info on baseball) and of ExposNation. Now look around and see how many people walk around with Expos gear, proudly and tell me how many of you are approached now. “I miss the Expos” and have a great conversation about the Expos. Look at the web, look at Facebook. The MEFG stands at over 8000 people on twitter, facebook, the web. We even started a page devoted to the Spanish fans in 2014. That is incredible! To think that the Expos have (I use have not HAD) an impact, not just in Quebec, but around the world. It shows you how good the team was that today so many people consider their favourite baseball team, The Expos!

I would like to share my story with you. I grew up in the 70’s, my first baseball game was 1972 or 1973 I do not remember very much I was 6 or 7. My Uncle was a big Expo fan and he took me to my first game. I do remember one thing it was cold, it had snowed and I met Steve Renko. The sounds, the hit of the ball, the smack of the ball in the glove, the crowd; I was hooked. I have been a huge fan since then. Tough to be a baseball fan in a hockey town, but hockey was not thing; even when I rooted for a hockey team it was the Bruins. The Expos and baseball that was something different entirely.

I got to see to see at least one more game a year at Jarry Park, my Uncle was the big baseball fan (he moved away and still in an Expos fan); the rest of my family did not get the game. My time was the Big O I did not miss a opening day from 1979-1992, it was my start of the Summer. To me I always felt that baseball was to be experienced with Friends and family. The sounds, the smell of hotdogs....”Go Kid, Go”, “You Suck Ump, you call that an OUT...BAAA.” It was just a perfect day out. In my family I was the only baseball fan, so my outings were generally solo. I could convince friends to join me from time to time, but nothing stopped me from seeing those games. I went on my own and until 1983 I lived in Laval, it was almost two hours each way, it was worth it and I had some great times on those long rides.

In 2001 I had my son we were in Toronto, at the time there was no way I could support the Jays; so I got to see a handful of games; interleague of course when the Expos were in town.

My son however saw his first game

August 2003 when we moved back to

Montreal. I got my dream I was able to

see a baseball game as a family.

My son was great the Expos players loved

him and always gave him a ball or signed

something for him. His first game O-Cab

signed his little Expos hat.

In 2004 we wanted to see as many

games as possible (We did not want

to believe it, we were all worried about

the future) it was harder than you think

as the Expos played many games in

Puerto Rico, but we managed. My

daughter was born in January 2004,

she got to see her first game in April 2004.

We always sat behind the bullpen Row

119 BB, the Expos bullpen was on the field

we saw all the pitchers. Having a 3 month old at the games made us noticed. My daughter’s first game was something special. We were watching Livan Hernandez warm up and all of a sudden he just looks my daughter and hands her the ball. I was shooting pictures down the field and barely saw him turn but managed this shot; just look at his expression.... priceless. Still have that ball.