Dawson: Hall of Fame's cap choice was 'punch in gut'

For weeks it's been obvious to everyone, especially Andre Dawson, that the Hall of Fame would pick an Expos cap for his plaque.

But listening to his voice Wednesday morning, it was clear that Dawson was more upset than he thought he'd be upon finally hearing the Hall's decision.

"It's not a surprise. I think we all knew this was the decision," Dawson said by phone from his home in South Florida. "It's still very disappointing.

"I'm mostly disappointed for Cubs fans. I wanted this for them, more than anything else. I wanted them to be able to have this, and I want them to know I wanted to go in as a Cub. It wasn't my choice."

Dawson will never know for certain, but he believes reports that the Cubs would retire his jersey if he went into the Hall of Fame as a Cub probably cost him the chance to be a Cub in Cooperstown.

The Hall had indicated to Dawson from the start that it was likely going to be Montreal, but while pausing to consider his preference, just the hint of a quid pro quo with the Cubs may have sealed the deal.

"I think they disapproved of that discussion of the Cubs retiring my jersey if I wore a Cubs hat," Dawson said. "I don't think they liked that at all. I think the Cubs felt they had some leverage here but that wasn't the case."

Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson told Dawson he was concerned about the integrity of the process and protecting the history of the game.

In Idelson's defense, players in the past have sold their cap preference to the highest bidding team, so about 10 years ago they took away the choice from the inductee.

"Idelson was apologetic about taking so long," Dawson said. "He said it disturbed him that he couldn't give me my preference, which he knew was Chicago.

"I'll tell you what though: It felt terrible when he told me. It was a punch in the gut. It was like that feeling I had when (then GM Larry) Himes told me (in 1992) the Cubs were moving on without me.

"This is the worst feeling I've had since I knew I had to leave Chicago."

While Dawson has nothing against the city of Montreal or fans of the former franchise, he also doesn't hide his feelings about getting booted from Montreal during the collusion of 1986-87.

And that's a huge part of not wanting an Expos cap on his Hall of Fame plaque.

"It was not at all a pleasant ending up there," Dawson said. "They made their decision and they told other teams I was finished. They tried to keep me from getting a job.

"And I'm supposed to wear that hat? They said I was done and they threw me out."

So while Idelson argued that Dawson's 10 years in Montreal were the most important of his career, Dawson reminded him that there would have been no Hall of Fame without his six years on the North Side of Chicago.

"Look at the impact the Cubs had on my career," Dawson said. "If I had stayed in Montreal, my career probably would have been over in three more years (because of injuries).

"But because I got to play on the natural surface at Wrigley Field, I played 10 more years, and that's the biggest part of me making the drive to the Hall of Fame.

"That's what came to mind when he told me (Tuesday night), but his mind was made up. He said it was the consensus of the board of directors that it would be Montreal.

"I expected it so I don't think it's a big surprise or big news, but it was still very disappointing. I thought I had prepared myself for it, but it still hit me hard.

"I just want Cub fans to know it wasn't my decision and I wanted to be a Cub. As long as they know that, I can live with it. I guess I don't have any choice."

brozner@dailyherald.com