A number of reports have started leaking out that Andre Dawson has said that he would like to enter the Hall of Fame as a Chicago Cub.
Details here and here.
I'm assuming that they will grant him his wish for a couple reasons.
First, Dawson's numbers as a Cubs, at least offensively, were as good as his numbers in Montreal. Yes, he spent more time in Montreal, though.
Second, the Hall of Fame should be doing things to try to attract more people. Putting Dawson in as a Cub would make a huge group of Cub fans very happy thus make us picky people more likely to show up to see their favorite Cub when they were growing up. Putting him in as an Expo will make virtually no one happy.
It does nothing to the integrity of the Hall since there are legit arguments arguments to be made for both the Cubs and the Expos. Now, if he were to go in as Red Sox or Marlin, then we start to have integrity issues.
Another thing to keep in mind here...if Dawson has spent all of his time in Montreal, would he have gotten elected? The truth is, he probably would be sitting in the same situation that Tim Raines is right now. I don't think he would have gotten in. Yes, that makes the Hall of Fame a popularity contest, but that's just the way it is.
So, put him in as a Cub! And I think that is what will happen.
