Andre Dawson began his professional climb after the Montreal Expos selected him in the 11th round of the 1975 draft. The powerful young outfielder moved quickly through the minor leagues and forced his way onto the big league radar. After only 186 minor league games, Dawson earned a September call-up in 1976. One year later, he secured a permanent role in Montreal’s lineup.

Dawson immediately rewarded the Expos’ confidence. During the 1977 season, he appeared in 139 games and established himself as one of baseball’s brightest young stars. Dawson collected 148 hits, scored 64 runs and drove home 65 more. He also flashed speed and extra-base power throughout the season. His nine triples led the Expos, while his 54 extra-base hits highlighted his emerging offensive game.

The outstanding rookie campaign earned Dawson the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Montreal suddenly possessed a dynamic center fielder with power, range and a cannon arm. Dawson soon developed into the cornerstone of the Expos franchise and one of baseball’s premier all-around players.

The signed 1977 Topps rookie card shown here captures Dawson at the beginning of that rise. The card marked his first appearance in a Topps set and also featured fellow rookie outfielders Gene Richards, John Scott and Denny Walling. Beckett authenticated Dawson’s signature on the card.

Andre Dawson captured the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1977, while Eddie Murray claimed the American League honor. Both young sluggers launched careers that eventually carried them to Cooperstown.

Murray wasted little time establishing himself in Baltimore. During his rookie campaign, the 21-year-old appeared in 160 games and delivered mature production at the plate. Murray collected 173 hits, smashed 29 doubles and launched 27 home runs. He also drove in 88 runs while posting a strong 123 OPS+ and 3.2 WAR.

The powerful switch-hitter gave Baltimore a middle-of-the-order force for years to come. Murray later built a reputation for consistency, durability and clutch hitting. His smooth swing and run production eventually placed him among baseball’s elite first basemen.

The signed contract shown here dates to November 25, 1978, early in Murray’s rise to stardom. In the agreement, Murray consented to sign baseballs featuring stamped autographs from his Orioles teammates. The financial terms reflected a far different era in the hobby market. Murray earned one cent for every baseball sold under the arrangement.

Andre Dawson followed his Rookie of the Year season with another strong campaign in 1978. The dynamic Expos star combined power and speed while continuing his rise among baseball’s elite young players. Dawson smashed 25 home runs and swiped 28 bases, showcasing the rare athleticism that defined his game.

Momentum carried into the following spring. On February 28, 1979, Dawson signed the contract shown here with Topps Chewing Gum. At just 24 years old, Dawson already stood among baseball’s most recognizable stars and trading card favorites.

Dawson rewarded that growing popularity with another productive season in 1979. He finished among the National League leaders in total bases, runs batted in and stolen bases. Few players impacted games in as many ways as “The Hawk.” He punished pitchers with power, covered enormous ground defensively and wreaked havoc on the bases.

Dawson later built one of baseball’s most accomplished careers. The Hall of Fame outfielder finished with more than 400 home runs, 300 stolen bases and over 1,500 RBI. His blend of power, speed and defense made him one of the defining stars of his era.

The signed Topps contract shown here captures Dawson early in that remarkable journey, before his accomplishments secured Cooperstown immortality.

Click here to see a video of Andre Dawson speaking about this website and the thrill of being on a baseball card.

Andre Dawson dominated the 1980s with a rare combination of power, speed and defensive brilliance. He spent the decade’s first seven seasons with the Montreal Expos before finishing the 1980s with the Chicago Cubs. By decade’s end, Dawson compiled 290 home runs, 895 RBI and a stellar 128 OPS+.

Few players matched his consistency or versatility during that era. Dawson collected eight Gold Glove Awards and earned six All-Star selections across the decade. He also captured four Silver Slugger Awards and claimed the National League MVP Award in 1987. Pitchers feared his bat, while runners respected his cannon arm in the outfield.

Quite simply, Dawson stood among baseball’s defining stars of the 1980s. He delivered middle-of-the-order power while providing elite defense every season. “The Hawk” impacted games in nearly every possible way.

Shown here is a check that dates to the spring of 1982, before another standout season began. The Major League Baseball Players Association issued Dawson the payment for $2,527, a respectable sum for the 27-year-old slugger. The document also connects two influential baseball figures from the era. Labor leader Marvin Miller supplied the stamped signature on the front, while Dawson endorsed the reverse side in ink.

According to Rick Sutcliffe, Greg Maddux chose a beanball over the big leagues. Maddux’s Cub teammate from 1986-1990, Sutcliffe tells a great story about Maddux’s 24th career game.

The Cubs faced off against the Padres on July 7, 1987 at Wrigley Field.

“Greg Maddux was pitching that day and he’d been told before the game that if he doesn’t win, he’s going back to the minor leagues,” Sutcliffe explains.

In the top of the fourth Chicago’s Andre Dawson was hit by a fastball up and in.

“I remember Eric Show was pitching and hit Andre right in the face,” Maddux recalled. “Hawk was our main guy. I remember him laying there right on home plate kind of knocked out. Then he came to and spit a bunch of blood on the plate and then he started looking for Eric Show.”

After a bench-clearing brawl, Sutcliffe said he found the 21-year old Maddux and had a chat.

“I said, ‘Hey, here’s what you’re doing. You’re going to go get three outs, you’re going to get the win and then in the sixth inning you do whatever you want.’ He looked at me and went, ‘No’. He goes, ‘I’m hitting the first guy.’

“I said, ‘If you don’t get three outs, they’re going to send you to the minor leagues.’

“And with tears in his eyes he said, ‘I don’t care if I get another win.’

“And I’m getting goosebumps right now. I can still see his face.”

San Diego’s Benito Santiago led off the top of the next frame.

“He hit him,” Sutcliffe continues. “He got sent down to the minors and I think he had the minimum 15 days or whatever it was. He was back in the big leagues and he never saw that minor league bus again after that.”

Maddux had no regrets.

“I certainly would’ve lost a ton of respect if I didn’t hit anybody,” Maddux said later. “That was way more valuable than any win I could have ever gotten.”

It’s an inspiring story to be sure.

Shown here is Greg Maddux’s autographed Topps card from 1987, the same year the incident went down.

Andre Dawson built a Hall of Fame career through power, durability and relentless production. The feared slugger crushed 20 or more home runs in 13 different seasons. He also topped the 30-homer mark three times during his 21-year run in the majors. Dawson reached his offensive peak in 1987 when he blasted a career-high 49 home runs and captured the National League MVP Award.

As his career neared its conclusion, Dawson steadily climbed baseball’s all-time leaderboards. On June 25, 1994, just weeks before his 40th birthday, “The Hawk” delivered one of the finest games of his late career. Dawson exploded for 11 total bases during a 12-inning battle. He finished 4-for-7 with two home runs and a double, reminding fans his bat still carried thunder.

The second homer carried added historical weight. Home run number 426 tied Dawson with Hall of Famer Billy Williams on baseball’s all-time list. At that moment, the two sluggers shared 22nd place in major league history.

The lineup cards shown here come directly from that memorable game. Dawson signed and inscribed both cards afterward, specifically acknowledging Williams and the milestone they briefly shared on the road to Cooperstown.

Montreal Expos existed from 1969 through 2004 and produced several Hall of Fame legends. Three former Expos entered Cooperstown wearing the franchise’s iconic “M” on their plaques. Gary Carter became the first in 2003. Andre Dawson followed in 2010, while Tim Raines joined them in 2017.

Years later, the Hall of Fame granted Dawson permission to switch to a logo-less cap on his plaque. Dawson welcomed the decision and openly embraced his emotional connection to Chicago.

“I always felt that I was a Cub in the Hall of Fame. I just had the ‘M’ on the cap,” Dawson told MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. “That’s what I always related to. That’s where my heart was, even though I was six years a Cub. It means everything. It means I finally had the opportunity to provide my input.”

The scouting report shown here shifts focus to one of the two remaining men with an Expos Hall of Fame plaque, Gary Carter. An advance scout prepared the document before a May 21, 1987 matchup. Scouts traveled ahead of their clubs and evaluated upcoming opponents in detail. This report offered surprisingly harsh criticism of a future Hall of Fame catcher.

The evaluator wrote, “Not hitting real well,” beside Carter’s offensive assessment. The report also labeled Carter’s throwing arm “Avg – not throwing well.” Those comments reflected only a brief snapshot during a long and brilliant career.

Carter clearly noticed the criticism when he later signed the report. The Hall of Fame catcher added a pointed inscription above his autograph: “Don’t always believe the scouting report.” His response delivered the perfect reminder that even baseball’s greatest players endure rough stretches.