October 9th, 1966
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore, Maryland)
I was sitting in the upperdeck at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, while nearly everybody else in the stadium was standing, screaming, clapping, in anticipation of the Baltimore Orioles' first World Series victory in their history.
"Think about it Jack," said the man in the seat beside me, also sitting. "Just think about it."
This man was Gerry Snyder, a 46-year old city councilman from Montreal who was putting together a proposal to bring baseball to 'La Belle Province'. When he contacted me originally, I didn't put too much stock into his proposal. At the time, I was working as the Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers and even I haven't heard any talk of expansion, at least no more than empty rumours. But, I had 2 tickets to Game 4 of the World Series and no one to go with, so I invited him.
As we talked, he convinced me that one, the National League was looking to expand, and two, his team of politicians, businessmen and baseball fans alike had a legitimate shot at landing a team north of the border..
"Now, I'm not making any promises," he had told me. "But as of now you're the most established, and, I think, brilliant man we've talked to in the baseball aspect of operations. You could be the first General Manager of a Canadian baseball team. But to begin, you would work on just getting the team, as my right hand man."
"I'll have to take some time to think about it," I said tentatively.
"Sure, that's fine," he encouraged. "Here's my card."
I stood up, so that I could see over the rowdy Oriole fans. Our Right Fielder Lou Johnson was at the plate. He was the last obstacle between Dave McNally and a complete game shutout, between the Orioles and the title of World Series Champions.
These past 16 months have been quite the ride. After graduating from McGill University with a Bachelor of Commerce I applied for jobs all around the league and finally settled in with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the Assistant Director of Player Development. After the 1965 season, the former Director of Player Development retired and I was promoted, and here I am, in the nosebleeds at Memorial Stadium. We've won a World Series, and here we are again. Of course this time, we need to score a run here to tie it up and force the bottom half of the ninth. With runners on first and second, one hit was likely all we'd need.
"STRIIIIIKE ONE!!!!!!!"
Well, its been that kind of series. Thirty-two and two thirds innings of shutout ball, that's what the Orioles have done to us. Last year we were the class of baseball, coming up with a two-nothing win in the 7th game of the World Series in Minnesota. This year we won the pennant, but since then its been all downhill. Two runs, that's all we've scored against the Orioles, and they were both in the first 3 innings of the 1st game.
"STRIIIIIKE TWO!!!!!!"
I can sense anxiety of what would happen next. The so-called baseball experts are calling for a full rebuild, while the fans have expressed that it wouldn't go over so well. Anyways, we're coming off 2 Pennants and a World Series title, as long as we have Koufax, I see no need to rebuild.
"FOUL BALL!"
Buzzie Bavasi, the GM for 16 years now, is leaning towards a rebuild I think, especially if the rumours about Koufax retiring after the series are true. I don't think I could stand to see the Dodgers rebuild. The Dodgers have always been winners, as far as I can remember. Since I was ten, when I had began to show a real interest in baseball, the Dodgers have been to 6 World Series, winning four of them and, with a miracle there could be another in the works here. Sure, they've had a few offseasons, but they've never been consistently bad, they've always bounced back into the race the next year. I don't know if I could handle being a part of the group that dismantled the Dodgers.
The crowd booed. I assumed McNally had thrown a ball. It probably wasn't even close, but given the situation, I don't blame them for booing.
Then why would you want to go to an expansion team you ask? Well, its not the same thrill, taking a team from its roots and building it into a contender, as stripping a team down and building it back up. One gives a sense of accomplishment, the other just relieves the sense of disappointment when the team doesn't perform.
And then there was silence. Johnson had hit a liner, a few steps to the right of Paul Blair in Center Field. The crowd was silent, as though they were willing the ball into Blair's glove. He extended, leaping, going vertical with ground. More silence. The second base umpire made no decision whatsoever. Then, Blair turned onto his back and held up his glove to the ump.
"Ou -" The crowd cheered before he could finish the word. An eery feeling went through my body, I sensed that another chapter of the great game of baseball was ending, as if an era had ended. But of course, with the end of one era, another must always begin.
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But I'm a mildly Francophone Bawlamerian with some distant roots in Québec and a longstanding respect for the Expos, so I'm all about this dynasty. Keep it up!
