1969 Montreal Expos season

The 1969 Montreal Expos season was the inaugural season in Major League Baseball for the team. The Expos, as typical for first-year expansion teams, finished in the cellar of the National League East with a 52–110 record, 48 games behind the eventual World Series Champion New York Mets. They did not win any game in extra innings during the year, which also featured a surprise no-hitter in just the ninth regular-season game they ever played. Their home attendance of 1,212,608, an average of 14,970 per game, was good for 7th in the N.L.

1969 Montreal Expos
LeagueNational League
DivisionEast
BallparkJarry Park
CityMontreal
Record52–110 (.321)
Divisional place6th
OwnersCharles Bronfman
General managersJim Fanning
ManagersGene Mauch
TelevisionCBC Television
(Hal Kelly, Jim Hearne)
Télévision de Radio-Canada
(Jean-Pierre Roy, Guy Ferron)
RadioCKGM (English)
(Dave Van Horne, Russ Taylor)
CKLM (French)
(Jean-Pierre Roy, Jean-Paul Sarault)
Seasons 1970 →

Offseason edit

Expansion draft edit

The Montreal Expos participated in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft on October 14, 1968.

Player Former team Pick
Manny Mota Pittsburgh Pirates 2nd pick[1]
Mack Jones Cincinnati Reds 4th pick
John Bateman Houston Astros 6th pick
Gary Sutherland Philadelphia Phillies 8th pick
Jack Billingham Los Angeles Dodgers 10th pick
Donn Clendenon Pittsburgh Pirates 11th pick
Jesús Alou San Francisco Giants 13th pick[2]
Mike Wegener Philadelphia Phillies 15th pick
Skip Guinn Atlanta Braves 17th pick[3]
Bill Stoneman Chicago Cubs 19th pick
Maury Wills Pittsburgh Pirates 21st pick[4]
Bobby Wine Philadelphia Phillies 23rd pick[5]
Bob Reynolds San Francisco Giants 25th pick
Dan McGinn Cincinnati Reds 27th pick
José Herrera Houston Astros 29th pick
Jimy Williams Cincinnati Reds 32nd pick[6]
Remy Hermoso Atlanta Braves 34th pick
Mudcat Grant Los Angeles Dodgers 36th pick[7]
Jerry Robertson St. Louis Cardinals 38th pick
Don Shaw New York Mets 40th pick[8]
Ty Cline San Francisco Giants 41st pick
Garry Jestadt Chicago Cubs 43rd pick
Carl Morton Atlanta Braves 45th pick[9]
Larry Jaster St. Louis Cardinals 47th pick
Ernie McAnally New York Mets 49th pick
Jim Fairey Los Angeles Dodgers 52nd pick
Coco Laboy St. Louis Cardinals 54th pick[10]
John Boccabella Chicago Cubs 56th pick
Ron Brand Houston Astros 58th pick
John Glass New York Mets 60th pick

Other transactions edit

1968 MLB June amateur draft edit

The Expos and San Diego Padres, along with the two American League expansion teams set to debut in 1969, the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Pilots, were allowed to participate in the June 1968 MLB first-year player draft, although the new teams were barred from the lottery's first three rounds. The Expos drafted only 15 players in the 1968 June draft, and none reached the major leagues. All but five went unsigned.[15]

Spring training edit

The Expos held spring training at West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium in West Palm Beach, Florida, a facility they shared with the Atlanta Braves. It was destined to become their long-time spring training home: they trained there through 1972 and from 1981 through 1997.

Regular season edit

Milestones edit

Scorecard edit

April 8, Shea Stadium, New York City, New York

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Montreal 2 0 1 1 0 2 1 4 0 11 12 0
New York 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 10 15 3
W: Shaw (1–0)  L: Koonce (0–1)  SV: Sembera (1)   
HRs: McGinn (1), Staub (1), Laboy (1), Dyer (1)

Opening Day Lineup edit

Opening Day Starters
# Name Position
30 Maury Wills SS
1 Gary Sutherland 2B
10 Rusty Staub RF
9 Mack Jones LF
3 Bob Bailey 1B
2 John Bateman C
39 Coco Laboy 3B
43 Don Hahn CF
22 Mudcat Grant P

[16]

Others edit

  • April 14, 1969: Mack Jones hit a three-run home run and two-run triple that highlighted an 8–7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the Expos' first home victory as a franchise at Jarry Park. Jones' blast was also the first MLB home run hit outside the United States. Dan McGinn became the first MLB pitcher to win a game outside the United States.
  • April 17, 1969: In just the franchise's ninth game in existence, Bill Stoneman pitched a 7–0 no-hitter while striking out 8 batters against the Philadelphia Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium. Johnny Briggs made the final out for the Phillies. Le Grand Orange Rusty Staub was the hitting hero for the Expos going 4 for 5 with three doubles and a homer. A crowd of 6,496 were on hand to see it in Philadelphia.[17] Stoneman pitched another 7–0 no-hitter in 1972, against the New York Mets in Jarry Park on October 2.

Season standings edit

NL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Mets 100 62 0.617 52–30 48–32
Chicago Cubs 92 70 0.568 8 49–32 43–38
Pittsburgh Pirates 88 74 0.543 12 47–34 41–40
St. Louis Cardinals 87 75 0.537 13 42–38 45–37
Philadelphia Phillies 63 99 0.389 37 30–51 33–48
Montreal Expos 52 110 0.321 48 24–57 28–53

Record vs. opponents edit


Sources: [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
Team ATL CHC CIN HOU LAD MON NYM PHI PIT SD SF STL
Atlanta 3–9 12–6 15–3 9–9 8–4 4–8 6–6 8–4 13–5 9–9 6–6
Chicago 9–3 6–6–1 8–4 6–6 10–8 8–10 12–6 7–11 11–1 6–6 9–9
Cincinnati 6–12 6–6–1 9–9 10–8 8–4 6–6 10–2 5–7 11–7 10–8 8–4
Houston 3–15 4–8 9–9 6–12 11–1 10–2 8–4 3–9 10–8 10–8 7–5
Los Angeles 9–9 6–6 8–10 12–6 10–2 4–8 8–4 8–4 12–6 5–13 3–9
Montreal 4–8 8–10 4–8 1–11 2–10 5–13 11–7 5–13 4–8 1–11 7–11
New York 8–4 10–8 6–6 2–10 8–4 13–5 12–6 10–8 11–1 8–4 12–6
Philadelphia 6-6 6–12 2–10 4–8 4–8 7–11 6–12 10–8 8–4 3–9 7–11
Pittsburgh 4–8 11–7 7–5 9–3 4–8 13–5 8–10 8–10 10–2 5–7 9–9
San Diego 5–13 1–11 7–11 8–10 6–12 8–4 1–11 4–8 2–10 6–12 4–8
San Francisco 9–9 6–6 8–10 8–10 13–5 11–1 4–8 9–3 7–5 12–6 3–9
St. Louis 6–6 9–9 4–8 5–7 9–3 11–7 6–12 11–7 9–9 8–4 9–3


Notable transactions edit

Draft picks edit

Roster edit

1969 Montreal Expos
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Player stats edit

= Indicates team leader

Batting edit

Starters by position edit

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases

Pos Player G AB R H Avg. HR RBI SB
C Ron Brand 103 287 19 74 .258 0 20 2
1B Bob Bailey 111 358 46 95 .265 9 53 3
2B Gary Sutherland 141 544 63 130 .239 3 35 5
3B Coco Laboy 157 562 53 145 .258 18 83 0
SS Bobby Wine 121 370 23 74 .200 3 25 0
LF Mack Jones 135 455 73 123 .270 22 79 6
CF Adolfo Phillips 58 199 25 43 .216 4 7 6
RF Rusty Staub 158 549 89 166 .302 29 79 3

[26]

Other batters edit

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases

Player G AB R H Avg. HR RBI SB
Ron Fairly 70 253 35 73 .289 12 39 1
John Bateman 74 235 16 49 .209 8 19 0
Ty Cline 101 209 26 50 .239 2 12 4
Maury Wills 47 189 23 42 .222 0 8 15
Donn Clendenon 38 129 14 31 .240 4 14 0
José Herrera 47 126 7 36 .286 2 12 1
Don Bosch 49 112 13 20 .179 1 4 1
Kevin Collins 52 96 5 23 .240 2 12 0
Manny Mota 31 89 6 28 .315 0 0 1
John Boccabella 40 86 4 9 .105 1 6 1
Remy Hermoso 28 74 6 12 .162 0 3 3
Jim Fairey 20 49 6 14 .286 1 6 0
Floyd Wicker 41 39 2 4 .103 0 2 0
Marv Staehle 6 17 4 7 .412 1 1 0
Don Hahn 4 9 0 1 .111 0 2 0
Garry Jestadt 6 6 1 0 .000 0 1 0

Pitching edit

Starting pitchers edit

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Bill Stoneman 42 235.2 11 19 4.39 185
Jerry Robertson 38 179.2 5 16 3.96 133
Mike Wegener 32 165.2 5 14 4.40 124
Steve Renko 18 103.1 6 7 4.01 68
Mudcat Grant 11 50.2 1 6 4.80 20
Bob Reynolds 1 1.1 0 0 20.25 2

Other pitchers edit

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Gary Waslewski 30 109.1 3 7 3.29 63
Howie Reed 31 106.0 6 7 4.84 59
Larry Jaster 24 77.0 1 6 5.49 39
Carl Morton 8 29.1 0 3 4.60 16

Relief pitchers edit

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Dan McGinn 74 7 10 6 3.94 112
Roy Face 44 4 2 5 3.94 34
Don Shaw 35 2 5 1 5.21 45
Carroll Sembera 23 0 2 2 3.55 15
Dick Radatz 22 0 4 3 5.71 32
Claude Raymond 15 1 2 1 4.09 11
Steve Shea 10 0 0 0 2.87 11
Leo Marentette 3 0 0 0 6.75 4

Awards and honors edit

1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Farm system edit

Level Team League Manager
AAA Vancouver Mounties Pacific Coast League Bob Lemon
A West Palm Beach Expos Florida State League Ed Sadowski
Rookie GCL Expos Gulf Coast League J. W. Porter
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: GCL Expos

On June 5, 1969 the Montreal Expos played a game against their farm team the Vancouver Mounties, the Mounties won 5-3.[27]

Vancouver affiliation shared with Seattle Pilots

Notes edit

  1. ^ Manny Mota at Baseball Reference
  2. ^ Jesús Alou at Baseball Reference
  3. ^ Skip Guinn at Baseball Reference
  4. ^ Maury Wills at Baseball Reference
  5. ^ Bobby Wine at Baseball Reference
  6. ^ Jimy Williams at Baseball Reference
  7. ^ Mudcat Grant at Baseball Reference
  8. ^ Don Shaw at Baseball Reference
  9. ^ Carl Morton at Baseball Reference
  10. ^ Coco Laboy at Baseball Reference
  11. ^ Don Bosch at Baseball Reference
  12. ^ Bob Bailey at Baseball Reference
  13. ^ Floyd Wicker at Baseball Reference
  14. ^ Rusty Staub at Baseball Reference
  15. ^ 1968 Montreal Expos Draft Picks in the MLB June Amateur Draft Baseball Reference
  16. ^ Retrosheet box score: Montreal Expos 11, New York Mets 10; 8 April 1969
  17. ^ Associated Press (April 18, 1969). "Stoneman of Expos Hurls No-Hitter to Beat Phils, 7–0". The New York Times. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  18. ^ a b Roy Face at Baseball Reference
  19. ^ Mudcat Grant at Baseball Reference
  20. ^ Dodgers finally bring Wills back home
  21. ^ Paul Popovich at Baseball Reference
  22. ^ Donn Clendenon at Baseball Reference
  23. ^ Claude Raymond at Baseball Reference
  24. ^ Marv Staehle at Baseball Reference
  25. ^ Terry Humphrey at Baseball Reference
  26. ^ "1969 Montreal Expos Statistics".
  27. ^ [1] Archived January 5, 2018, at the Wayback Machine at Fun While It Lasted

References edit