Montreal Expos Play First Regular Season Game in Canada

Among the many reasons why baseball had become ingrained in America’s culture was the fact that every team and game had been based in the United States. That changed on this day in 1969, when the Montreal Expos played the first regular season game in Canada.

Despite the popularity of baseball in other areas, notably in Japan and in the Caribbean, baseball was America’s Pastime. As much as apple pie and the Stars and Stripes, baseball was a large part of the national identity, a part of the United States that could never be taken away. It was, and seemingly always would be, America’s Game.

That would change during Major League Baseball’s spate of expansion during the 1960’s. In 1969, four franchises, including the first team based in Canada, the Montreal Expos, started their existence in the major leagues. Eventually, a regular season game would have to be played outside of the States.

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That time came on this day in 1969. After spending the first two series on the road, the Expos came home, playing their first game at Jarry Park. Even though construction was still ongoing, the Expos drew over 29,000 fans that day, as Larry Jaster faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals and Nelson Briles. Holding a 6-0 lead through the third inning, it seemed as though an inaugural victory would be well in hand.

Instead, Jaster would not make it out of the fourth. The Expos made five errors in the inning, leading to seven runs. Jaster would be charged with each of those runs in his 3.2 innings, but only two of them were earned. However, the Expos would tie the game in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of a wild pitch to even the score.

Reliever Dan McGinn made sure that the home crowd would go home happy. Coming on for Jaster, McGinn not only pitched well out of the bullpen, but also drove in the winning run with a two out single in the bottom of the seventh. On the mound, he pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and walking one. Offensively, Mack Jones was the star for the Expos. He hit a home run and a triple, driving in five.

Next: Pete Rose collects first major league hit

With this first game in Canada, baseball was not just an American game. The Montreal Expos made sure that Canada was well represented.