Pro baseball returns to Montreal for one night
From Matthew Ross at the Montreal Gazette on May 13, 2013, with mention of SABR member Jacques Doucet:
There were long lines at the concession stands, the crack of the bat was an intoxicating soundtrack during batting practice and fans filled the stands an hour before the game.
But would this one-time baseball event translate on a grander scale in Montreal?
The Can-Am League’s exhibition game between the Québec Capitales and Trois-Rivières Aigles on Saturday night, billed as the Quebec Classic, showcased what pro ball has to offer in our Expos-less metropolis. More than 1,000 fans squeezed into Ahuntsic Park and braved brisk temperatures to take in the sights and sounds of professional baseball in Montreal for the first time since 2004. While the on-field product didn’t boast one major-leaguer or even an umpire at every base, the evening did show fans a glimpse of what outdoor professional baseball could be like once again in Montreal. The Aigles won 6-1.
“Tonight is a good test for the Can-Am league in Montreal,” said Jacques Doucet, the former voice of the Expos and Capitales. “They’ve explored putting a team in Laval, LaSalle or the South Shore for a long time. But in light of the recent trouble with municipal leaders, I think it’s been put on ice for now.”
Read the full article here: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/baseball+returns+Montreal+night/8374552/story.html
Originally published: May 14, 2013. Last Updated: May 14, 2013.