|
The Washington Nationals was originally known as the Montreal Expos.
The Montreal Expos franchise was accepted into the Majors on May 27, 1968 as part of the Major League Baseball expansion. Gerry Snyder, city councilor from Montreal, was instrumental in bringing Major League Baseball to Montreal at Jarry Park. The success of Gerry Snyder and his winning bid caused some political figures in Washington to openly express concerns of the choice of a team outside of the United States. The Expos was the first team to join the Majors that was not based in the United States.
On April 8, 1969, the Expos debuted against the New York Mets in the first game. The Expos defeated the Mets by a score of 11-10. After the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, the Expos moved into Olympic Stadium at the beginning of the 1977 season.
On November 11, 2004, the Expos' name was changed to the Washington Nationals and relocated to Washington D.C. The team was relocated from Montreal due to lack of fan support.
|