Basebal Returning to Montreal in 2009?

[NDwas]

The Nationals are treating most Expos history like it is none of their own. No references to "franchise history," and sadly, no chance the Nats will ever wear Expos uniforms. In all honesty, that's the way it should be. I'm a big fan of those Expos unis, but I'm angrier by the fact that they haven't worn any Senators gear since the team came to DC.

They don't even fly a Canadian flag at Nationals Park anymore (thanks to really dumb requests by fans). I personally find that offensive, especially since two Nationals players - Shawn Hill and Pete Orr - are Canadian.

Statistics are handled in a different manner. I remember when Alfonso Soriano hit 46 homers in 2006, the Nationals treated it as a franchise record (MON/WAS), a Nationals record, and referred to Soriano's season as the second-best in Washington baseball history (behind Frank Howard's 48 for the Senators in 1969).

Since when? I was there on June 3rd vs. St. Louis, and it was there...I could post a picture when I switch computers later if nobody beats me to the punch...

Then again, I shouldn't talk...the Mets don't fly it at Shea...and even when Montreal was in the division, I can't recall ever seeing it, nor do I see it in any photos I have of the Expos @ Shea when the American flag IS visible...

Without saying too much about what I do (because some people go out of their way to try to bring me down), I am at Nationals Park every day - and they have been flying a red Curly W flag for some time now.

[leopard88]

Ignore this rumor. It would be like the NFL having a game in Baltimore after the Colts left, Anaheim after the Rams left, or the NBA having game in Seattle now that the Sonics have left. It's a stupid idea, and won't happen. Why would you have a game there? For what reason? To gauge interest? There is none among the fans, there is none because there won't be a new stadium. It's the same thing as with Quebec and the NHL.

Umm, that actually did happen, some time in the early 90s, if memory serves me (i.e., just before the last expansion). It was Saints vs. Dolphins, with the slogan "Give Baltimore the Ball" being used everywhere as part of the promotion.

I couldn't find any pics, but a friend of mine still has 1-2 "Give Baltimore the Ball" cups floating around.

[CC97]

Ignore this rumor. It would be like the NFL having a game in Baltimore after the Colts left, Anaheim after the Rams left, or the NBA having game in Seattle now that the Sonics have left. It's a stupid idea, and won't happen. Why would you have a game there? For what reason? To gauge interest? There is none among the fans, there is none because there won't be a new stadium. It's the same thing as with Quebec and the NHL.

Umm, that actually did happen, some time in the early 90s, if memory serves me (i.e., just before the last expansion). It was Saints vs. Dolphins, with the slogan "Give Baltimore the Ball" being used everywhere as part of the promotion.

I couldn't find any pics, but a friend of mine still has 1-2 "Give Baltimore the Ball" cups floating around.

And the Avs have played in Quebec City and the Coyotes in Winnipeg... it's not that crazy in the world of sports.

[-kj]

Mere months after leaving Minnesota, the Dallas Stars played a neutral-site regular-season game in Minneapolis.

[njmeadowlanders]

Without saying too much about what I do (because some people go out of their way to try to bring me down), I am at Nationals Park every day - and they have been flying a red Curly W flag for some time now.

That's a shame...As long as there is a team in Toronto, they should all be flying a Canadian flag...

[CC97]

Without saying too much about what I do (because some people go out of their way to try to bring me down), I am at Nationals Park every day - and they have been flying a red Curly W flag for some time now.

That's a shame...As long as there is a team in Toronto, they should all be flying a Canadian flag...

I've found that stadiums will only fly the Canadian flag only when a Canadian team (Toronto) is the visiting team... I'd be interested to hear the policy of various stadiums... but I do know both Dolphin Stadium and PNC Park put up the flag when the Expos or Jays were there and had another flag up when they were not.

[njmeadowlanders]

As I said I'd do later (which is now... ) here is a shot taken at Nationals Park on June 3rd, 2008 vs. St. Louis. This is as the rain started coming down for the second time that night:

[NDwas]

As I said I'd do later (which is now... ) here is a shot taken at Nationals Park on June 3rd, 2008 vs. St. Louis. This is as the rain started coming down for the second time that night:

And here are my shots...

June 9, with Canadian flag:

June 25, with red Curly W flag:

June 27, with red Curly W flag:

June 28, with red Curly W flag:

[njmeadowlanders]

^ That really is a shame they did that...

[BBTV]

Without saying too much about what I do (because some people go out of their way to try to bring me down), I am at Nationals Park every day - and they have been flying a red Curly W flag for some time now.

That's a shame...As long as there is a team in Toronto, they should all be flying a Canadian flag...

I've found that stadiums will only fly the Canadian flag only when a Canadian team (Toronto) is the visiting team... I'd be interested to hear the policy of various stadiums... but I do know both Dolphin Stadium and PNC Park put up the flag when the Expos or Jays were there and had another flag up when they were not.

Philadelphia flies a flag for both the home and away team, so unless they're playing the Blue Jays, there are two US flags next to one another. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, especially since the Expos were gone before the park opened. Either fly them both, or put something else on the second one unless the Jays are in town.

Actually, this brings up another point - who cares. I honestly couldn't care less if a US, Canada, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, etc. flag is flown in a stadium, or if the national anthems are sung. Really - except for the "that's the way it's always been" excuse, what's the point?

[CC97]

Actually, this brings up another point - who cares. I honestly couldn't care less if a US, Canada, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, etc. flag is flown in a stadium, or if the national anthems are sung. Really - except for the "that's the way it's always been" excuse, what's the point?

I'm with ya on that one -- I wouldn't miss it if they stopped the singing of the national anthems prior to the games (not to mention stopping the game in the 7th for GBA), but really sporting events are the only times they are sung now-a-days.

[Bronxmet]

The Mets. Really? Were they not the divsion rivals of the Expos for 35 years?

Why aren't the Nationals doing this?

1. For starters, Minaya was the last GM for the Expos, and Manual once played with the Expos.

2. Remember Rusty Staub, Le Grand Orange, who played with both the Expos and Mets.

3. The Dodgers, as you may or may not know, had a AAA Farm club from 1928-1960 Called the Montreal Royales. Jackie Robinson was on that team before becoming a Brooklyn Dodgers.

Those are all fine and good, but...

1. The Nationals used to be the Expos.

Nuff Said

Also, the Expos played their first game against the Mets in le Parc Jarry in 1969.

[CC97]

The Mets. Really? Were they not the divsion rivals of the Expos for 35 years?

Why aren't the Nationals doing this?

1. For starters, Minaya was the last GM for the Expos, and Manual once played with the Expos.

2. Remember Rusty Staub, Le Grand Orange, who played with both the Expos and Mets.

3. The Dodgers, as you may or may not know, had a AAA Farm club from 1928-1960 Called the Montreal Royales. Jackie Robinson was on that team before becoming a Brooklyn Dodgers.

Those are all fine and good, but...

1. The Nationals used to be the Expos.

Nuff Said

Also, the Expos played their first game against the Mets in le Parc Jarry in 1969.

I believe that was against the Cardinals

[Brian in Boston]

Also, the Expos played their first game against the Mets in le Parc Jarry in 1969.

The Expos played their first regular-season game in franchise history against the New York Mets... at Shea Stadium.

The Expos' first regular-season game at Parc Jarry was played against the St. Louis Cardinals.