In late April of 1987, I was about a month and a half away from graduating from high school. My pals and I couldn’t wait for a summer full of Cubs games before we went our separate ways that fall.  So a few of us played a little hookie-as we often did-to watch the Lovable Losers play a day game at Wrigley against the Giants. I think bleacher seats were $6.  

It turned out to be one of the greatest days in the long career of a player who would become one of our favorites.  Andre Dawson hit for The Cycle-a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game.  And, as I had seen him do several times on TV, Dawson threw out a guy at first base…from right field!  Dawson’s arm was so powerful and accurate, that what would be a base hit 99.9% of the time became an out.   5 times he came up to bat.  5 times he got a hit.  Drove in 2, and scored one himself.  

Dawson continued to amaze at the plate and in the field the entire season, and captured the hearts of Cubs fans everywhere.  At the end of the year, he became the first MVP to be named from a last place team.

Even though Andre Dawson had spent 11 years with Montreal, and his plaque in Cooperstown has him wearing and Expos cap…he’ll always be remembered around here as a Cub, and thinks of himself as a Cub.  As a matter of fact, when Dawson went into the Hall of Fame, he mentioned or thanked the Cubs and Cubs fans many times, and never once alluded to the teams he played with before or after his 6 years he donned the blue pinstripes.