From time to time and park to park, I see folks wearing baseball hats that many wouldn’t think twice about reacting to. I may see an old school Red Sox hat or one signifying one of their organization’s affiliates. I may see a summer collegiate baseball league team hat and attempt to strike up a conversation with its owner (much to the dismay of my wife). I may see a college or university that I have visited and once again “bother” the hat owner for their story. And when I see a person wearing a Montreal Expos hat, I not only look twice and react, I remember some of great players and teams that Montreal produced before relocating to Washington, D.C. to become the Washington Nationals. So, what happened to the Expos? Funny you should ask.

Yesterday morning, I watched a very interested documentary on Netflix entitled, “Who Killed The Montreal Expos.” Catchy title, heck it caught my attention. For Expos fans, for Montreal and Canadian residences who lived through it, this may be more of “oh yeah, I remember that person or that event or that non-event,” so this documentary may be more painful than educational. However, for the baseball fan who knew of the Expos in general, the rosters which included the likes of Tim Raines, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Larry Walker, and the greatness of Pedro Martinez and Vladimir Guerrero (Sr), and their nearly historic potential in 1994 – well, saddle up and get ready to be Expos educated.

“Who Killed The Montreal Expos” is a documentary featuring Montreal based sportswriters, former Expo players and managers as well as former Expo operations personnel, general managers, and team owners. There was a general sadness to their stories, and I am including the former players in that statement as well. Their beginnings as a Canadian owned Major League Baseball franchise, the first of its kind, through ownership changes, stadium proposals, and the eventual relocation – all told by many on the verge of tears. The tale of who or what or why the Montreal Expos didn’t last was narrated by several key figures in the team’s ultimate demise, mostly in French with American subtitles. Many blamed this person, a ton more blamed this group, still others blamed the lack of this or that. Opinions are personal and this Expos demise was very, very personal to an entire city, and should I dare overstate, an entire country.

Did you follow the Montreal Expos? Did you think they folded to become the Miami Marlins, because I did. I forgot the Marlins were already in existence when the Expos relocated to DC. Do you remember the 1994 Expos, the one with almost an All-Star team roster top to bottom? How about the 1994 MLB strike, can’t forget that one. If you were a fan in the 1980s and 1990s, you knew that the Expos were a contending team (National League East) and a tough series every time they competed. They had great players, great managers and coaches, and a loyal fan base. This documentary will help fill in the gaps of what you do not know about the Montreal Expos.

Check out the Netflix documentary “Who Killed The Montreal Expos” and decide for yourself or your next sports debate. Was it the owners, was it the stadium, was it the lack of a new stadium, was it Montreal, was it political, was it a good run that just ended? I thoroughly enjoyed the subject matter and the commentary by sportswriters, former players, and Expos management. And after watching it, have my own opinion on what may or may not have caused the demise of the Montreal Expos in Montreal. What do you think, have you watched it, and what is your opinion on the matter?