Andre Dawson elected to baseball Hall of Fame

Posted January 06, 2010 10:00 pm

By Bruce Miles

Roberto Alomar falls just short

On Wednesday, the Hawk soared.

And he soared solo.

Andre Dawson, whose career found new life in different ways with the Cubs, got his long-awaited Hall of Fame present Wednesday when his election by the Baseball Writers Association of America became official.

Dawson was the only player to receive the necessary 75 percent of the vote needed to gain election by the BBWAA, and it came in his ninth year on the ballot.

His name was checked on 420 of the 539 ballots turned in, giving him 77.9 percent and placing him ahead of Bert Blyleven, who missed by 5 votes, gaining 74.2 percent of the vote.

Rounding out the top five were Roberto Alomar (73.7 percent), Jack Morris (52.3) and Barry Larkin (51.6). Former Cubs closer Lee Smith was sixth, with 47.3 percent.

Nicknamed "Hawk," Dawson played 21 seasons with the Montreal Expos, the Cubs, Red Sox and Marlins.

Although he spent 11 seasons in Montreal, he spoke fondly of his six years with the Cubs, which began with him signing a blank contract before the 1987 season and then winning the Most Valuable Player Award with a last-place club.

"Chicago, for me, it gave me a new life, on a natural playing surface after playing on artificial surface in Montreal for 10 years," said Dawson, whose knees were ravaged on the hard, unforgiving carpet of Olympic Stadium. "Getting into a major market where you have a huge fan base that really, really understood and supported the organization, it just allowed me to relax and enjoy the game. The game was fun for me again."

In 1987, Dawson hit 49 of his 438 career home runs to lead the National League while driving in 137 runs, also tops in the league. He became an instant hero at Wrigley Field, with the right-field bleacher fans bowing to him time and again as he took his position in front of them in the field.

As popular as Dawson was with the Cubs and even as he talked of not being respected in Montreal at the end of his time there, it's not known yet which cap Dawson will be shown wearing on his Hall of Fame plaque. The National Baseball Hall of Fame, with input from Dawson, will make the ultimate decision.

"I just said I was going to go out and have fun," Dawson said of his years in Chicago. "The fans were gracious to me from Day 1 of spring training. I think, even though I pressed a little bit at the outset, I hit a grand slam home run that kind of got me going.

"From there, things just started to happen on a daily basis. For the most part of the six years that I was there, I really enjoyed the reception- Those six years are definitely six years that I'll remember."

Dawson will be enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y., on July 25. Although it took him nine tries to be elected, he said it was worth it.

"The wait isn't a big factor at all in the scheme of things," he said. "You get frustrated when people continue to say, 'Well, when do you think you're going to get in?' And you don't really have the answer to that. As I sit here, the only thing I can think of is that it was well worth the wait.

"I can't really describe the elation that me and my family experienced when I got that call."

Dawson, who combined speed, power, a strong throwing arm with a meticulous work ethic, came up with Expos in 1976. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 1977, his first full year in the big leagues. At Montreal, Dawson played along such stars as Hall of Famer Gary Carter, Tim Raines, Ellis Valentine and Steve Rogers.

However, Dawson's run in Montreal ended bitterly after the 1986 season, when he and the Expos could not come to terms on a new contract during a time of collusion among baseball owners to hold down salaries.

He approached the Cubs in the spring of 1987 with a blank contract, and club president Dallas Green filled in an amount of $500,000, which Dawson said he felt honor-bound to accept.

"For me, it wasn't a monetary issue," Dawson said. "It was about respect. It was about not depriving me of that. It was about that organization really not showing a sense of loyalty after being there 10 years."

There were some moments of drama as Dawson accepted the Cubs' figure, which was below market value, even that long ago.

"I said, 'perfectly fine and when can I report?'" Dawson said of his conversation with Green. "He paused for a moment. He said, 'Well, can I get back to you?' I said, 'Fine. Take your time.' I don't know what he had to do in that time. I can only speculate. He called me back about an hour later and said, 'Welcome aboard.'"

When Dawson's career was done, he had amassed eight Gold Gloves and made eight all-star teams. With 314 career stolen bases, he is only one of three players with at least 400 homers and 300 steals.

He chose to view his Hall of Fame credentials in their totality.

"I know it's not just about numbers, even though numbers play an important part," he said. "I know the character, the makeup, the integrity, sportsmanship, all of that plays a key role. Longevity is a key. Consistency over a period of time during that longevity is a key."

Andre Dawson follows through on a two-run homer that scored teammate Ryne Sandberg during the the Cubs 1989 home opener. Associated Press

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<h1>More Coverage</h1>

<h2>Photo Galleries</h2>

<li><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=348435">Images from Andre Dawson's career </a></li>

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