Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson is making a plea to change the logo on his plaque cap from the Montreal Expos to the Chicago Cubs. Dawson recently revealed that he has sent a letter to Jane Forbes Clark, the president of the Baseball Hall of Fame, requesting the change. However, it seems that the museum has rejected Dawson’s request, as the decision to use the Expos logo was made 13 years ago without his consent.
“I don’t think they’ll be expeditious with something like this,” Dawson told the Chicago Tribune. “If they decide to respond, they will take their time. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t respond.”
The issue of logo placement on the plaque cap was addressed prior to the 2001 induction, and the change was adopted after it was revealed in 1999 that Tampa Bay had offered compensation to Wade Boggs to have the Devil Rays logo on his badge. The Hall of Fame has a policy of ensuring that the logo on a player’s cap represents the team where the player had the greatest impact on their career.
Dawson was elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of North America in 2010, and three weeks later, the Hall of Fame decided that his plaque would feature the Expos logo.
“I respect the Hall of Fame’s decision to put the Expos logo on my hat, and understand their responsibility to ensure that the logo represents the greatest impact on my career,” Dawson said in a statement from the museum. However, he expressed his disappointment on Chicago radio, stating, “I can proudly say that because Chicago was my preference.”
The Hall of Fame has confirmed that they have not yet received the letter from Dawson but plans to speak with him about his request.
It remains to be seen whether the Hall of Fame will reconsider Dawson’s request and make the change to his plaque cap. The decision could have implications for other players who may want their plaque caps to represent a different team. As of now, Dawson’s plaque at the Baseball Hall of Fame continues to bear the Montreal Expos logo.