Who remembers the Pearson Cup? It was the annual game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos that lasted between 1978 and 1986. I don’t. But I could really get in to that kind of thing now. If the Expos were still around.

Bill the Space-Man Lee (inset) threw beautiful junk, including something called the eephus pitch, staggeringly void of standard velocity. Bearded, he loved his the anonymity in the city, didn’t mind French, and loved the pool bars. During his time hurling for Montreal (1979-1982), he was fond of a beer and a steak before taking to the mound.

Andre Dawson. Tim Wallach. Hubie Brooks – 104 hits in 306 AB, (.340 BA).

Other names of Expos lore,

El Presidente – El Perfecto was huge.

Delino Deshields, Marquis Grissom and Larry Walker were  a rare triumverate of young titans. John Wetteland. Felipe Alou and Son. And the opportunity of a lifetime. But then the strike.

I remember Olympic Stadium felt desolate the last time I was there, in the late 80s. I ate a possibly steamed hot dog, which was above average. And pieces of the wonderful landmark, still beautiful seen from atop Mount Royal, would begin to crumble off, an oft-used metaphor for the team’s fortunes.

But if any MLB team could be considered champion of 1994, it would have to have been the 74-40 Montreal Expos.

In fact, the team put up a banner, which reads: 1994 Meilleure Équipe du Baseball / 1994 Best Team in Baseball.

As good as it got.