Most think of Andre Dawson in a Cubs uniform or, before that, with the Montreal Expos.
But even before that, the newly inducted Hall of Famer (story, 3C) was a member of the 1976 Triple-A Denver Bears.
His stay wasn’t long, but it was memorable on his way to a 21-season major-league career.
After starting 1976 in Double-A Quebec, Dawson soon got the call-up to Denver.
In just 74 games, the then-21-year-old batted .350 (fourth in the American Association) with 20 home runs (tied for seventh) and 46 RBIs. His .713 slugging percentage led the league, and his 1.126 on-base plus slugging percentage was second.
He moved up to the Expos near the end of the season and never looked back. He became the National League rookie of the year in 1977.
He added an MVP trophy in 1987, when he clubbed 49 home runs for the Cubs. It was the first time a player of a last-place team won the award.
Wednesday, on his ninth try, he was elected to baseball’s elite team.
“If you’re a Hall of Famer, eventually you’re going to get in no matter how long it takes,” Dawson said during a telephone conference call.
