George Shuba of the Montreal Royals greets teammate Jackie Robinson at home plate on April 18, 1946. (Courtesy of Greg Gulas, Carrie Anderson, Mike Shuba)

Tears welled in Jackie Robinson’s eyes as he was hoisted onto the shoulders of adoring fans, their chants reverberating off the walls of Delorimier Stadium. It was a moment of triumph, a culmination of resilience and talent, as Robinson, the legendary second baseman for the Montreal Royals, basked in the glory of victory in the 1946 Junior World Series.

Despite a challenging start to the series, Robinson had proven his mettle, both on and off the field. His performance spoke volumes, silencing doubters and winning over hearts. Even manager Clay Hopper, a Mississippi native who initially harbored reservations about Robinson joining the Royals, extended his admiration, recognizing Robinson not only as a remarkable ballplayer but also as a gentleman.1

The scene was electric, with faithful Royals fans refusing to depart the ballpark, their fervor reaching a crescendo as they clamored for a glimpse of their hero. Robinson, overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, found himself surrounded by a sea of admirers, their affection palpable as they lifted him high into the air, chanting praises in French and English alike.2

Reflecting on the momentous occasion, Robinson recounted the overwhelming swell of emotion and the indomitable spirit of the crowd. His departure from the ballpark was akin to a hero’s journey, with fans trailing him to the very end, all the way to the train station, their unwavering support a testament to the profound impact he had made.3

As Robinson bade farewell to Montreal, his legacy reverberated throughout the city, leaving an enduring imprint on its history. Yet, as the years passed and the Royals’ fortunes dwindled, the echoes of that triumphant era began to fade, marking the end of an era for professional baseball in Montreal.

***

As the excitement surrounding Jackie Robinson’s single season in Montreal waned, the legacy of the Montreal Royals continued to resonate within the city. Their role in breaking baseball’s color barrier endured as a defining moment in the sport’s history long after the team’s departure in 1960. When Robinson donned their uniform in the spring of 1946, he became the first African American to play in a major professional White league for decades, marking a watershed moment not only for the Royals but for baseball as a whole.

Yet, Robinson was not the sole luminary to grace the Montreal Royals roster. Future legends like Don Drysdale, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider, and Roberto Clemente all passed through Montreal on their path to stardom, leaving an indelible mark on the team’s storied legacy.

Although the Royals have long since departed, their memories linger in the hearts of many Montrealers, serving as a testament to the lasting impact of their contributions to the sport.

Baseball’s roots in Montreal trace back to the mid-nineteenth century, when enthusiasts began forming clubs and organizing games. However, in the 1860s, the city banned baseball in its parks, fearful an errant ball could put those who were not playing at risk. That gave rise to around 40 baseball clubs in Montreal between 1867 and 1887. Men gathered at athletic clubs around the city to play, yet only a handful of these early teams endured beyond a few years. Despite the transient nature of those early clubs, their existence laid the groundwork for Montreal’s enduring passion for the sport.4

During the summer of 1890, Montreal emerged as a possible relocation destination for the International League’s struggling Buffalo Bisons franchise. In June 1890, Charles D. White, the owner of the Bisons, embarked on a 400-mile journey to Montreal to explore potential sites. He settled on the Shamrock Lacrosse Grounds at the intersection of Saint-Catherine Street and Atwater Avenue. This location, familiar to hockey fans, was situated across the street from what would later be the site of the Montreal Forum, which opened in 1924.5

The club lasted only nine games, losing five of its their six games in June. They drew a crowd of 2,000 fans to their first game in Montreal, against Toronto, which they lost 11-10, and after that attendance was sparse. Montrealers’ seeming lack of interest in professional baseball prompted the International League to move the club to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Montreal quickly got another chance when the International League’s bankrupt Hamilton, Ontario, franchise was transferred to Montreal. This club did not fare much better than its predecessor, winning only three of its nine games and drawing a paltry number of spectators to the Shamrock Grounds. The International League folded in July 1890, once again leaving Montreal without professional baseball. Many Montrealers longed for a new pro team to call their own, not a failing franchise from elsewhere hoping to turn things around up north.6

They got their wish a few years later. American railway worker Joe Page teamed with Canada’s first major-league baseball star, James Edward “Tip” O’Neill, to bring professional baseball back to Montreal in the mid-1890s using the nickname Royals. O’Neill eventually left the club, leaving Page to take charge on his own. Undeterred, Page partnered with New England sports promoter William H. Rowe, orchestrating a series of highly successful exhibition games throughout the summer of 1896 that led to a turnaround in the club’s fortunes. Buoyed by their success, Page and Rowe set their sights on extending their tour beyond Quebec and New York State, venturing into Ontario and the Eastern United States in 1897.7

In June of 1897, an opportunity arose for Montreal to reenter the Eastern League fold. The faltering Wilkes-Barre franchise emerged as a prime candidate for relocation, and Montreal was once again mentioned as a possible destination. Rowe swiftly suspended the touring Montreal team’s season and dedicated himself to securing the necessary funds to bid for the Wilkes-Barre franchise. He rallied support from affluent investors to bolster the endeavor. However, Rowe’s plans took an unexpected turn when another opportunity for relocation presented itself. After a devastating fire that destroyed the ballpark in Rochester, New York, the club found itself in need of a new home to finish out the season. Rowe tirelessly lobbied Eastern League President Pat Powers, who harbored doubts about reinstating a team in Montreal. Powers also believed the city was too far from the league’s other franchises, making it an impractical choice. Nonetheless, Rowe’s persistence paid off and on July 16, 1897, the Rochester Jingoes franchise moved north to Montreal. During that period, Atwater Park, bordering the wealthy enclave of the city of Westmount, stood out as the only park equipped with a grandstand large enough to accommodate a big crowd. Atwater Park hosted the club’s Saturday games. Due to sports restrictions on Sundays in the city of Westmount, Sunday games took place at either the Shamrock Grounds or the National Club Grounds. Attendance at these Sunday games often surpassed that of the Saturday matches.8

The team finished in seventh place, often playing before sparse crowds. No one knew what to call the team, with monikers like the Snowbirds, Canuck Juniors, the Frenchmen, and the Eskimos bandied about. Another nickname emerged, one that would later become synonymous with baseball in the city: the Royals. The Montreal Gazette first referred to the club by this nickname. In 1897 Canada and the other British Commonwealth nations were celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria to mark the monarch’s 60th anniversary on the throne. A newspaper in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, suggested the nickname to mark the milestone. “The Wilkes-Barre Record baptized us,” wrote the Gazette on July 28, 1897. “In the future, we will call ourselves the Royals. It seems very appropriate in this jubilee year.” Most people, however, simply called them the Montreals or the Montreal Baseball Club. Bolstered by Cameron’s investment in the ballpark, the club returned to the Eastern League the following season, stunning many by clinching the pennant that year.9

It was the last time the Montreal club would taste such success, as it faced struggles in the seasons that followed.

In 1902, American League President Ban Johnson had his sights set on a team to begin play in New York City the following season. He jettisoned the Baltimore Orioles in favour of the New York Highlanders (later known as the Yankees). Baltimore, suddenly with nowhere to play in 1903, sought refuge in the Eastern League. Two franchises, both struggling, were candidates to be dropped to make room for the Orioles: Rochester and Montreal. Eastern League owners had long grumbled about the expensive overnight trips to Montreal, so it came as no shock when league President Powers announced that the city would lose its franchise. What no doubt stung Montrealers was word that popular player-manager Handsome Charlie Dooley had secretly invested in the Orioles.10

Montreal’s absence from the Eastern League was short-lived. P.H. Hurley, the owner of the Worcester, Massachusetts, team, relocated his struggling franchise to Montreal midway through the 1903 season. A year later, Hurley sold the team to John Kreitner, a Buffalo entrepreneur. After the 1905 season, Kreitner sold the team to a New York group led by Frank Farrell, a part-owner of the American League’s New York Highlanders. Despite the team changing ownership multiple times during this period, one aspect that began to solidify was the team’s nickname. Montrealers largely embraced the name Royals, or Les Royaux in French. They were less enthusiastic about Farrell running the team out of New York. So in January 1908, Farrell dispatched George Stallings to Montreal to find a local buyer for the club. Stallings brokered a $10,000 (Canadian) deal with three Montreal business owners to buy the Royals: minority owners E.R. Carrington, who managed the Thiel Detective Service; Montreal Brewing Company executive Hubert Cushing; and majority owner Sam Lichtenhein, a local sports promoter who owned the Montreal Wanderers hockey team and would become the baseball club’s president.11

The trio would run the club for nearly a decade. Over that period, they undertook two stadium rebuilds and underwent five manager changes. Relations within the ownership group were occasionally strained. At one point, Carrington and Cushing, unhappy with manager Eddie McCafferty’s performance, pushed Lichtenhein to fire him. Lichtenhein refused and offered instead to sell his share in the team to them for $50,000 (Canadian). They declined.12

Despite many players joining the battle overseas, Eastern League owners decided to continue playing throughout the First World War. Lichtenhein reluctantly agreed to field a team again in 1918, stating, “We don’t believe in operating the league under existing conditions for the benefit of a couple of clubs who will make money.” He never got the chance. The league opted to replace its franchises in Montreal, Providence, and Richmond with new clubs in Birmingham, Syracuse, and Jersey City. Professional baseball was one again no more in Montreal. It would remain that way for the next decade.13

DeLorimier Park, circa 1933 (Musée McCord Museum)

George Stallings wanted to bring a team back to Montreal. But this time he didn’t want to be the middleman; he wanted to be an owner. So in 1927 Stallings returned to Montreal looking for local investors who could sit on the board of the newly formed Montreal Exhibition Company Ltd., including well-connected Montreal lawyer and politician Louis Athanase David, financier Hartland MacDougall, and local investment dealer Ernest J. Savard of the brokerage firm Savard and Hart. (In 1935 Savard was part of an investor group that purchased the Montreal Canadiens). Stallings brought in his associates, Carlos Ferrar and Walter E. Hapgood, to run the club’s day-to-day operations. They paid the owners of the International League’s struggling Jersey City Skeeters franchise $225,000 to move the team to Montreal and rename them the Royals for the 1928 season. (It is unclear if they paid in Canadian or American dollars.) All that was missing was a ballpark. The new owners ruled out a return to Atwater Park, feeling the venue was too small. They purchased property in the city’s east end at the corner of Delorimier and Ontario Streets and began construction in the dead of winter on a new ballpark. Various reports have estimated the cost of the project to be anywhere between $700,000 and $1.5 million (Canadian), although it was likely closer to the lower end of that scale, as the city assessed the combined land and building value to be $703,550 in 1928.14

Stallings took on the role of the Royals’ manager, guiding them to a victorious start in their first game of the season and keeping them in contention for the pennant through June. That first season was also a box-office success. The club made $40,000 from season-ticket sales in 1928. The club also earned substantial sums from concessions and selling advertising space on the fences and scoreboard. Amid the team’s early success under Stallings, tragedy struck when a heart attack during a road trip in Toronto prevented his return to managerial duties. Stallings died a year later at the age of 61.15

The stock market crash of 1929 took its toll on the new Montreal franchise over the next few years. The club’s lacklustre play didn’t help matters. Fan support began to dwindle, and ownership realized they needed to improve the on-field product if they wanted to fill the stands. To help in that regard, the Royals hired Frank J. “Shag” Shaughnessy as the club’s general manager. Born in Illinois, Shaughnessy had a successful playing career in both baseball and football before transitioning to coaching and management. He arrived in Montreal in 1912 to lead McGill University’s football team, a position he held for 17 seasons. During the football offseason, Shaughnessy remained involved in baseball by managing semipro teams. He also scouted for the Detroit Tigers, and he was in the crowd when Montreal opened its new ballpark in 1928. Shaughnessy took a brief break from sports in 1928, working as a stockbroker in Montreal. However, by 1932 the Depression had impacted his business. This turn of events led him back to baseball. Still, the Royals faced significant challenges, including owing $51,000 in back taxes to the city and the mortgage company that owned the stadium. Compounding their troubles, the property value of the ballpark had dropped by $78,550 since 1928.That drop, coupled with the back taxes and a looming mortgage foreclosure, had the company on shaky financial ground. With the situation looking increasingly dire, Savard – the club’s majority owner after David departed – brought in a new investor with a now-famous last name: Jean-Charles Emile Trudeau, father of future Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and grandfather of current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.16

Jean-Charles Emile Trudeau, known as Charlie to his friends, was a wealthy Montreal business owner who made his fortune during the Great Depression by selling a chain of service stations to Champlain Oil Products Ltd. After some convincing, he invested $25,000 into the team, apparently writing “In Protest” on the back of the check, and insisted the club be well-managed. While he may have been reluctant to invest in the club, preferring to watch sports rather than invest in them, he was later a frequent presence at the ballpark. Oscar Roettger, who played for the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Robins and Philadelphia Athletics, recalled seeing young Pierre Trudeau accompany his father to the games. The elder Trudeau also brought other investors to the club, including Lt.-Col. Roméo J. Gauvreau, who, like Trudeau, had made his money in the oil business. Savard agreed to step down as club president so Hector Racine, a mutual acquaintance of Trudeau and Gauvreau who knew little about the sport, could take his place. A prominent figure in Montreal’s garment trade, Racine served on the Board of Trade’s council and led the Canadian Wholesale Dry Goods Association. Savard soon left the club altogether to become president and part-owner of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team. In 1933 the new ownership decided to install lights at Delorimier Downs (as the ballpark was also called) so the team could play at night, as many other International League teams had already done. Night baseball was a hit in Montreal, as fans flocked to Delorimier Downs to watch baseball under the lights.17

Tragedy once again befell the Royals when Trudeau, their majority owner, caught pneumonia and died while accompanying the team at spring training in Orlando in 1935. Gauvreau assumed most of Trudeau’s duties with the club.18

On the field, fans flocked to see the Royals, with more than 300,000 attending the team’s home games during the 1935 season. But off the field, the team’s financial troubles deepened as the value of its assets rapidly depreciated while its tax debt sharply increased. The Montreal Exhibition Company, which by March 1936 owed $75,133 in back taxes, was placed in liquidation. Amid the financial instability, Shaughnessy abruptly resigned as general manager in early August 1936. Shortly after, he became president of the International League. The Royals finished the season in sixth place under new manager Harry Smythe. Meanwhile, the city – which briefly considered owning and operating the ballpark – instead sold it to a local entrepreneur, Joseph Raoul Lefebvre, for $50,000 in 1936. However, the club continued to find itself in dire straits. In a bid to salvage the team, Racine and Pittsburgh Pirates President and Chief Executive William Benswanger struck a deal in 1937. This agreement injected much-needed funds into Montreal and promised to bring exciting young players to the team. Additionally, Racine replaced Smythe as manager with Rabbit Maranville. The deal with Pittsburgh didn’t prove as beneficial as expected. The Pirates sent only a handful of players to Montreal and refused to provide any pitchers, a critical position of need for the Royals. Still, lacking any better options, they renewed their deal with Pittsburgh for 1938. However, Racine swiftly ended ties with the Pirates and pursued a new affiliation with the Brooklyn Dodgers, led by their general manager, Larry MacPhail. In December 1938 the clubs signed a one-year working agreement with an option to renew at the end of the contract. As part of the agreement, according to the Associated Press, the Royals would “have first choice on players the Dodgers decide to release to a league of AA classification.”19

Heading into the 1940 season, Racine wanted more than a working relationship with the Dodgers. He and MacPhail negotiated a deal for Brooklyn to buy the Royals in February 1940 on condition that the Dodgers agree to split the $30,000 cost to upgrade Delorimier Downs equally three ways with the ballpark owners and concession owners. Newspaper reports at the time noted that the Montreal investors kept a controlling interest in the team, with Roméo Gauvreau, Lucien Beauregard (a partner in a local law firm), and the estate of Jean-Charles Emile Trudeau “retaining a majority of shares in the club. All other shareholders have been bought out by Brooklyn.” The Dodgers made the Royals their top farm team. Racine stayed in his role, running the club’s day-to-day operations, but MacPhail and the Dodgers now owned and controlled most of the players. In 1945 the Dodgers assumed full ownership of the ballpark.20

Montreal went on to enjoy a successful 1941 campaign, winning the Governor’s Cup as league champions but losing the Junior World Series to the Columbus Red Birds. The following year brought significant changes to the Dodgers organization with the departure of MacPhail and his replacement by Branch Rickey, the mastermind behind the renowned farm system of the St. Louis Cardinals.21

During the tumultuous years of 1942 to 1945, the Royals struggled to replicate the relative success of the 1941 season. Despite the challenges of World War II, baseball remained a beacon of hope, even as many players left their teams for military service. Nevertheless, Montrealers continued to support the team. In 1945, although they once again won the Governor’s Cup, they fell short of reaching the Junior World Series. Their success drew significant crowds, with 397,517 fans attending during the regular season – the highest in the International League and nearly twice as much as in the previous year – along with an additional 60,000 who came out for playoff games. However, the most memorable moment of the 1945 season came on October 23, 1945, when Royals President Hector Racine announced the signing of Jackie Robinson to play for Montreal in 1946.22

***

The press contingent at Delorimier Downs sprang from their seats, racing to the nearest telephones to relay the groundbreaking news: The Royals had signed an African American player. At that time, such an acquisition was unprecedented. Within the National League ownership circles, an unwritten agreement prevailed: No Black players would be signed. (This period of history is covered extensively in SABR’s Jackie Robinson 75: Baseball’s Re-Integration project.)

Branch Rickey offered Robinson a monthly salary of $600 to play for the Royals, half in Canadian dollars, half in American, along with a signing bonus of $3,500 USD.23

Robinson swiftly showcased his extraordinary skills, securing the International League batting title in 1946 with an impressive .349 average. Not only did he lead the league in walks and runs scored, but he also stole 40 bases. Despite missing nearly 30 games due to leg injuries, Robinson still managed to produce 65 RBIs, further highlighting his exceptional talent and resilience. Robinson’s strong play earned him a spot on the 1946 International League all-star team.24

Robinson’s crowning achievement came as he led Montreal to victory in the 1946 Junior World Series. Montreal was still basking in the afterglow of that memorable season 20 years later, even after the Royals franchise had ceased to exist. The city paid tribute to Robinson by celebrating Jackie Robinson Day on September 10, 1966. Robinson returned to the city, which established a scholarship in his name for the benefit of Black students in Montreal. “The fund will be built up from public donations, and will be administered through a Montreal trust company,” the Canadian Press reported. “J. Louis Levesque, a Montreal financier and horseman, has been named chairman of the fund committee.”25

***

The Royals were never able to recapture the magic of that 1946 season. While Montreal continued to excel on the field, clinching two more Junior World Series titles, in 1948 and 1953, the passionate fanbase that had once rallied behind the team began to noticeably dwindle in size. Season attendance plummeted from close to half a million (typically closer to 600,000 including playoff games) to fewer than 300,000 during their Junior World Series-winning season in 1953. Numerous theories abounded to explain this downturn. Maybe the fans were taking the team’s success for granted, or maybe the product on the field wasn’t as much fun to watch any more with Robinson gone. Some attributed the decline in attendance to the increased availability of major-league broadcasts, or simply the growing variety of entertainment options on television. Whatever the reason, Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, who was trying to raise cash to replace Ebbets Field, started exploring options to sell the team. This coincided with a push to bring a major-league team to Montreal, perhaps by relocating the troubled St. Louis Browns. In 1953 the Montreal City Council looked into buying the Royals’ name, territorial rights, and Delorimier Stadium from the Dodgers. However, the plan was abandoned due to the steep asking price of $2.35 million (C).26

Meanwhile, the Royals were hemorrhaging money. Racine conceded that the team lost over $50,000 during the 1954 season, marking its poorest performance in his tenure with the club. He hastened to add that the team wasn’t in dire straits, as the Dodgers profited from other events at Delorimier Stadium and concession sales. However, concerns were growing among the Dodgers management in New York regarding the situation in Montreal.

***

The Royals faced another tragedy in 1956 with the passing of club President Hector Racine. This led to significant upheaval in Montreal’s front office. Lucien Beauregard and Roméo Gauvreau maintained their executive roles, while Rene Lemyre was made the general manager after the departure of Guy Moreau. Additionally, former Montreal Canadiens captain Emile Bouchard joined the club’s board of directors and succeeded Racine as president. Bouchard’s business interests included a downtown Montreal restaurant called Chez Butch Bouchard. The new-look front office wasted no time in making moves that would have a lasting impact on the franchise. In 1956, the Dodgers sold Delorimier Stadium to a real estate company, Sherburn Investment, Corporation under a deal that saw the Royals lease the park until the end of the 1960 season. The beginning of the end for the Montreal Royals arrived in the fall of 1957 with the announcement of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ relocation to Los Angeles for the 1958 season. How could they remain the Dodgers’ top farm team when they were separated by nearly 2,500 miles? While the Royals’ front office outwardly reassured Montrealers of business as usual, Bouchard was quietly assembling a group of local investors in a bid to acquire the franchise. O’Malley rejected their proposal, which aimed to bring the Royals back under local ownership while retaining their status as the Dodgers’ primary farm team.27

The Royals’ attendance hit rock bottom in 1956, ranking last in the league, and saw only slight improvement the following season. Even a run to the 1958 Junior World Series failed to reignite fan interest, with a meager 5,800 fans showing up for the 1959 home opener.28

It got worse the following season. The 1960 home opener drew 8,725 fans, a far cry from the large turnouts the team enjoyed during its heyday. Part of the problem stemmed from the team’s lack of star power, as the Dodgers opted to send their top prospects to another one of their farm clubs in much closer Spokane, Washington. Not surprisingly, with no stars and a losing record, fan interest in Montreal hit an all-time low. The team tried gimmicks and contests in a bid to bring fans back to the ballpark, to little avail.29

The team’s general manager, Fernand Dubois, made efforts to rally the local business community to consider building a new ballpark, but he struggled to garner substantial interest. By then the team was on life support, evident when only 1,016 fans turned out for its final home game on September 7, 1960. A few weeks later, the Dodgers made it official: They were severing ties with the Royals and putting the club up for sale. Joe Remer, secretary of the Sherburn Investment Corporation, which owned Delorimier Stadium, told the Canadian Press that O’Malley told him “[T]he Dodgers have been losing money steadily in Montreal for the last three or four seasons and will not be back in 1961.” With no prospective buyers emerging, the International League assumed control of the franchise. A group of local investors, headed by event promoter Loren Cassina, made an unsuccessful bid for the team. Frank Shaughnessy and Tommy Richardson, his successor as International League president, made a last-minute effort to keep the franchise in Montreal through a community-ownership scheme. Shaughnessy even managed to talk the Dodgers into agreeing to a deal that would see them sell their remaining assets in the Royals franchise. This included everything from the ballpark lights, bats, balls, and uniforms to concession and office equipment, all for $90,000 – a figure he claimed was $35,000 less than what the Cassina group had offered the Dodgers for those assets. The sticking point, however, was the ballpark. Sherburn Investment Corporation and the league remained far apart on the value of Delorimier Stadium. In the end, a deal to keep the franchise in Montreal never materialized, and the International League moved it to Syracuse. Delorimier Stadium was demolished in 1969 to make way for Ecole Polywalénte Pierre Dupuis, effectively removing the last physical reminder of the team from the landscape of Montreal.30

Montreal’s baseball drought proved short-lived. While the sting of losing the Royals lingered, the city didn’t have to wait long for a new chapter. In 1969 the Montreal Expos joined the National League as part of a four-team major-league expansion. Ironically, Walter O’Malley, the man vilified in Montreal for severing the Royals’ ties to the Dodgers, chaired the National League’s expansion committee. In a twist of fate, the man who took baseball away from Montreal played a key role in bringing it back.31

Notes

1 Marc J. Steiner, “Jackie Robinson: History Made at the 1946 Junior World Series,” in Jackie Robinson: Perspectives on 42, Bill Nowlin and Glen Sparks, eds. (Phoenix, Arizona: SABR, 2021), accessed online February 7, 2024.

2 Jonah Keri, Up, Up, and Away: The Kid, the Hawk, Rock, Vlad, Pedro, le Grand Orange, Youppi!, the Crazy Business of Baseball, and the Ill-fated but Unforgettable Montreal Expos (Toronto: Random House Canada, 2014), 4-5.

3 Keri, 4-5.

4 William Brown, Baseball’s Fabulous Montreal Royals: The Minor League Team that Made Major League History (Montreal: Robert Davies Publishing, 1996), 7.

5 Brown, 9.

6 Brown, 9.

7 Brown, 10.

8 Brown, 11; Robert Harry Pearson, Montreal’s Delorimier Downs Baseball Stadium as Business and Centre of Mass Culture, 1928-1960 (master’s thesis, Queen’s University at Kingston, 1999), 21-22.

9 Brown, 11; Marcel Dugas, Jackie Robinson, Un Été à Montréal (A Summer in Montreal) (Montreal: Éditions Hurtubise, 2019), 9.

10 Brown, 12-14.

11 Brown, 14-20.

12 Brown, 21-24.

13 Brown, 23-24

14 Brown, 27-28; Pearson, 60.

15 Pearson, 63; Brown, 28-29.

16 Brown, 33-35; Pearson, 64; Charlie Bevis, “Frank ‘Shag’ Shaughnessy,” SABR Baseball Biography Project, accessed April 21, 2024.

17 Brown, 35-36; “Memories in the Lobby of Mantle and Trudeau,” Globe and Mail (Toronto), December 8, 1979; Dugas, 23.

18 Brown, 40.

19 Brown, 46-55; Pearson, 65-66; Associated Press, “Montreal and Brooklyn Sign Working Agreement,” Globe and Mail, December 23, 1938.

20 Brown, 60-61; Pearson, 23; Canadian Press. “Deal Closed by Dodgers,” Globe and Mail, February 21, 1940.

21 Brown, 73-76.

22 Brown, 85-86.

23  Brown, 93; Dugas, 44.

24 Brown, 105.

25 Canadian Press, “Montreal Will Hold Jackie Robinson Day,” Globe and Mail, September 8, 1966.

26 Brown, 145-147; Pearson, 76.

27 Brown, 161-164; Tom Hawthorn, “Emile ‘Butch’ Bouchard, star NHL defenseman, dies at 92,” Washington Post, April 12, 2012. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/emile-butch-bouchard-star-nhl-defenseman-dies-at-92/2012/04/17/gIQAKNx2OT_story.html, accessed April 21, 2024.

28 Brown, 169-171.

29 Brown, 174-175.

30 Brown, 177; Canadian Press, “Dodgers Give Up Montreal Royals,” Globe and Mail, September 14, 1960; Al Nickleson, “IL Rejects Canadian Bid for Montreal Franchise,” Globe and Mail, November 28, 1960; Al Nickleson, “IBL Will Reclaim Royals Franchise from Los Angeles,” Globe and Mail, November 30, 1960; Canadian Press, “Dodgers to Help Montreal Royals Stay in League,” Globe and Mail, December 16, 1960; Pearson, 24.

31 Canadian Press, “Key Dates in Montreal Expo History,” Globe and Mail, September 29, 2004. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/key-dates-in-montreal-expo-history/article1004791/, accessed April 21, 2024.

Cooper expressed his support for Ottawa at a luncheon during the 1988 winter meetings in Atlanta, where Ottawa’s Triple-A bid was being promoted. However, he emphasized the need for a stadium, declaring, “They have to build one.”2 By all accounts, the trip to Atlanta was a success, with at least two Triple-A club owners showing serious interest in relocating their franchises to Ottawa.3 Darwin’s favorable impression on the owner of the Montreal Expos, Charles Bronfman, during a late-night encounter in the Montreal billionaire’s Atlanta suite, further bolstered Ottawa’s chances. Claude Brochu, the Expos’ president and CEO, and longtime club executive Jim Fanning, who were also present that evening, set the stage for Darwin. “Brochu and Fanning had already talked to Bronfman, suggesting it was a good idea to get Ottawa onside,” Darwin told the Ottawa Citizen. “The Expos were losing a lot of fans in the market to the (Toronto Blue Jays).”4

Back in Ottawa, discussions continued with Brochu regarding the possibility of Ottawa becoming the new home for the Expos’ Triple-A affiliate. This opportunity arose as their agreement with the Indianapolis Indians was set to expire.5 Baseball Canada also expressed interest in having a 10,000-seat stadium in Ottawa as the national training center for Canada’s baseball teams.6

While excitement grew around Ottawa’s pursuit of a Triple-A baseball team, the focus shifted to finding a suitable venue. The city identified two sites owned by the National Capital Commission (NCC), the government agency responsible for federal parks and public spaces in the Ottawa area, but both had drawbacks.7 The Rideau River Park site, previously used as a city dump, would require expensive remediation efforts; and the other site, in the eastern part of the city, lacked accessibility and nearby amenities.

Despite these challenges, Darwin believed that LeBreton Flats, a riverfront site just west of Parliament Hill, was the ideal location for a new ballpark.8 The NCC initially resisted the idea, citing concerns about its impact on existing development plans.9 Darwin’s persistence, along with increasing public support and pressure from Mayor Durrell, eventually led to a reconsideration of LeBreton Flats.10

In March 1989, Darwin attempted to purchase the Oklahoma City 89ers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, for $5 million Canadian (approximately $4 million USD), with the intention of relocating the team to Ottawa for the 1991 season.11 However, the offer was turned down, prompting Darwin to continue his search for another team to buy.12 “My approach is still to get the first team that comes available,” Darwin said during a July 1989 visit to Columbus, Ohio, where he met with executives from Triple-A clubs.13 He remained hopeful that Ottawa could become the farm club for an expansion team.14 Bob Rich, the owner of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons and leader of Buffalo’s bid for a major-league expansion team, suggested the possibility of Ottawa as a potential location for a farm club.15

The stadium issue persisted and caused setbacks in Darwin’s efforts. The city’s stadium feasibility study faced delays, and when it was finally released, city staff recommended the Rideau River Park as the top choice, with a new location, known as Bayview Yards, as a possible alternative.16 However, the city council voted against the stadium, leaving Darwin feeling that the deal he had secured to purchase a team had been sabotaged.17 Disheartened, he threw in the towel. “It’s done and I’m done – that’s all there is to it,” he said. “Now I just want to get on with life and forget it ever happened. Naturally, it was all a big waste of time.”18

With Darwin no longer in the picture, others took up the mantle. Mayors of neighboring municipalities showed keen interest in the idea of bringing professional baseball back to the Ottawa area. Some politicians approached Darwin to see if they could rekindle his interest in a Triple-A franchise, but he chose to stay on the sidelines, bruised by his previous experiences and hesitant to dive back into the world of baseball.19

In the spring of 1990, a now-easily recognizable landmark for Ottawa baseball fans emerged as a highly promising candidate for hosting a Triple-A franchise. The 18-acre property on Coventry Road, situated in the east-end next to the major Highway 417, was a regional snow dump owned by the federal government. A stadium deal began to look increasingly likely, with the city entering into talks with the federal government to buy the land.20 Even Darwin was starting to get back in the fold, his interest piqued by the progress being made in the negotiations. He said he would rejoin the effort to bring a Triple-A team to Ottawa if the city came to him with a stadium deal.21

Darwin invited Randy Mobley, the commissioner of the Triple-A Alliance, to come to Ottawa on the eve of a crucial city council stadium vote to help bolster support for the cause.22 After the city council backed plans for a stadium at the site, Darwin took Mobley to a celebratory lunch and a tour of the Coventry Road location.23

Darwin had previously pursued buying and relocating a team to Ottawa, but now shifted gears to focus on securing an expansion franchise. In an interview with the Ottawa Citizen, he stated his lack of interest in acquiring the Denver Zephyrs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.24 Instead, he spent the summer meticulously preparing Ottawa’s 70-plus-page official application for an expansion Triple-A franchise.

Corporate sponsors began to materialize, including Labatt’s Breweries of Canada Ltd., which expressed an interest in getting involved with the prospective franchise in Canada’s capital.25 Momentum was building toward Ottawa’s Triple-A bid. Demonstrating his enthusiasm, Darwin submitted his bid ahead of the 23 other competing groups.26 He was surprised to find out that 19 other cities and groups – including him – had applied, each including a nonrefundable $5,000 (US) application fee. “I’m surprised. No, I’m shocked there’s that many,” Darwin said. “I figured there’d be no more than half that many.”27

Darwin would have to wait until that November to find out if Ottawa’s bid made the shortlist of expansion candidates.

It was a gamble that had consumed Darwin for nearly two years, draining his bank account of more than $100,000 (C) and testing his resolve as a sports entrepreneur. He had staked his reputation and fortune on bringing Triple-A baseball to Ottawa. But as he arrived at the Ramada Inn in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, he knew that his dream hinged on the next three days. There, in the hotel’s corridors and boardrooms, he would face the final and toughest challenge of his bid: convincing Triple-A executives that Ottawa deserved a franchise.28

Darwin, Durrell, and the rest of the Ottawa contingent gave their all in Rosemont. Their impassioned pitch, lasting an hour, made a lasting impression on the Triple-A expansion committee. Larry Schmittou, the committee chair, expressed his admiration for the Ottawa bid. “The Ottawa bid was very impressive,” he said. “I think if it relied upon the mayor to build a stadium, he’d be out there tomorrow with a shovel.”29

Back in Ottawa, Darwin wasted no time and embarked on a campaign to secure $5 million (C) from private sources by April 1.30 This would coincide with the visit of Triple-A executives to potential expansion cities. He also sought to sell up to 7,500 pledges priced at $25 (C) each, which offered the chance to secure season tickets for Ottawa’s anticipated Triple-A club.31 The response was immediate, with more than 2,000 pledges sold in the first three days, and all 20 private suites were quickly leased for a period of five years.32

The Triple-A expansion committee slowly reduced the number of teams in contention for a franchise. By early April, nine cities remained on the short list: Ottawa; Annapolis, Maryland; South Bend, Indiana; Memphis, Tennessee; Jacksonville, Florida; Quad Cities, Illinois/Iowa; Birmingham, Alabama; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Tulsa, Oklahoma.33

Ottawa’s bid encountered a potential setback when city staff cautioned that widening roads and upgrading sewers for the stadium could potentially incur an additional cost of $3 million (C).34 This revelation led to significant concerns among city politicians, with some expressing strong opposition to the increased financial burden.35

In a surprising turn of events, Darwin, who had recently dismissed the idea of pursuing the Toronto Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Chiefs, suddenly changed his position.36 He began contemplating the possibility of making a bid for the Omaha Royals of the American Association, deviating from his initial commitment to securing an expansion franchise. Mobley, the Triple-A Alliance commissioner, gave his blessing for Darwin to kick the tires on Omaha while simultaneously continuing to pursue Ottawa’s expansion bid.37

The stage was set for Triple-A’s expansion committee to visit Ottawa on May 31, 1991.38 Schmittou, the chair of the committee, along with other Triple-A officials, arrived in the capital city with a clear message: Ottawa had to demonstrate its ability to finance the $21.6 (C) million stadium.39

Eastern Beverages, a division of Pepsi-Cola Canada Ltd., extended a financial boost to Ottawa by becoming the official soft-drink sponsor for the stadium, contributing a substantial sponsorship amount of $800,000 (C).40

The Triple-A expansion committee named Ottawa as one of its final five expansion candidates, along with Bowie, Maryland (formerly Annapolis), Birmingham, Charlotte, and Tulsa.41 Darwin worked to secure his financing. The city reached an agreement to sell a portion of the 20-acre Coventry Road site to the private sector, generating approximately $4 million (C) in revenue. Additionally, the sale of luxury boxes and in-park advertising brought in over $5 million (C). Meanwhile, Darwin had already pledged to repay $4 million (C) over a 15-year period. It was anticipated that scoreboard advertising and stadium naming rights would contribute an additional $2 million (C).

The Ontario government’s $4 million (C) share stood as the last piece needed to initiate construction on a new stadium.42 The clock was ticking. Triple A gave Ottawa until August 15 to confirm the stadium construction. However, a week before the deadline, the province surprised Ottawa by announcing that its $4 million (C) share would be a loan rather than a grant. This meant that the city would be responsible for repaying the money, which threatened to derail the bid.43 The Ontario government decided to cut its original contribution in half, putting city staff in a scramble to revise the stadium plan just hours before Triple A’s deadline.44 Ottawa managed to meet the deadline by submitting a written commitment to build an $18 million (C) ballpark. However, the scaled-down stadium plans left Triple-A executives disappointed.45 Ottawa’s bid no longer seemed assured.

In a final attempt to keep its bid alive, Ottawa sent a delegation to the Marriott Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, California, where Triple-A executives were gathered for their fall meetings.46 Darwin and others from Ottawa’s contingent socialized with members of the expansion committee during a reception put on by the Triple-A Calgary Cannons, the hosts of the fall meetings. The only other bidders present at the event were from Birmingham.47

Despite all the setbacks and financial challenges over the previous three years, Darwin’s relentless pursuit of a Triple-A franchise finally paid off. On September 28, 1991, the expansion committee granted franchises to Ottawa and Charlotte for the 1993 season.48 An emotional Darwin reflected on the accomplishment. “It was emotion more than excitement,” he told the Ottawa Citizen. “I said all along if somebody could convince me Triple-A baseball was bad for Ottawa, I’d step aside and call it quits. No one did.”49

Having secured his Triple-A franchise, which would eventually play in the International League, Darwin now turned his attention to building his fledgling, yet-unnamed team. The expenses associated with running the ballclub were becoming apparent, and they were considerable. As per the regulations, Major League Baseball required all minor-league clubs to contribute 5 percent of their gate revenues, with a minimum contribution of $1.5 million (US) in 1991. This amount would increase to $1.75 million (US) in 1993, when Ottawa was to begin play, and further rise to $2 million (C) in 1994. Darwin would also be responsible for covering the expenses of a 30-person traveling party.50

One of Darwin’s first orders of business was naming the new ballclub. He chose the name Ottawa Lynx from a pool of 35,000 fan suggestions.51 Next, Darwin hired 34-year-old Tom Maloney – fresh from being named The Sporting News’ 1991 Minor-League Executive of the Year – as his general manager.52 Darwin was drawn to Maloney’s previous expertise in securing broadcasting deals during his time with the Denver Zephyrs. Maloney wasted no time in trying to put together a radio and television package for the Lynx. “Radio is essential to any ball club,” he told the Ottawa Citizen. “We have to maximize all revenue streams and radio and television are certainly two big areas. They are also two great marketing tools.”53

Maloney’s hire doubled the size of Ottawa’s front office – the only other employee at the time was Darwin’s daughter, Nancy, who served as the club’s interim director of operations.54

The ballclub wrote to the 6,000 fans who paid $25 (C) apiece to have priority access to season tickets for the Lynx’s first season.55 Season tickets to the 71 home games were priced between $298.20 and $596.40 (C), while single-game tickets were available from $4 to $8 (C).56 The club opted to reserve 2,500 seats in the 10,000-seat ballpark to sell in groups or packages.

Construction started in June 1992, leaving a mere nine months until Opening Day.57 Even before the first shovel was in the ground, the club had sold nearly 4,000 season tickets. Maloney had his sights set on selling 7,500.

In September 1992 the Lynx made another significant off-field move by becoming the Triple-A affiliate of the Montreal Expos.58 Maloney secured a deal with local television station CHRO to broadcast 30 games throughout the Lynx’ first season. Selling radio rights to Lynx games, however, proved more challenging.59 The club eventually sold its French-language radio rights to CKCH-AM, which already broadcast Expos games.60

For their stadium dining experience, the club drew inspiration from the Blue Jays, who operated the Hard Rock Café and Windows restaurants at the SkyDome. These establishments welcomed patrons to dine by paying a small cover charge, without the need to purchase a game ticket. Emulating this successful model, the Lynx opened Tufts restaurant to the public. With a captivating view of the field, diners could enjoy food and drinks by paying a cover charge during ballgames.61

The Lynx experienced a vibrant atmosphere in their inaugural home game, on April 17, 1993, as they welcomed the Charlotte Knights, another expansion team, to what was then called the Multi-Purpose Recreational Facility.62 The ballpark was packed with 10,332 enthusiastic fans, who watched Charlotte defeat the Lynx, 4-3. Throughout that season, the Lynx maintained a commendable average attendance of 9,772, and concluded the season with a respectable record of 73-69.

However, the following years witnessed a decline in the team’s popularity. In 1994 the average attendance dropped to 8,929, and this downward trend persisted in 1995 – the year that Ottawa won its first and only league championship – when the team attracted an average of 6,888 per game.63

A few theories seek to explain the decline in attendance. Ottawa has traditionally been more of a hockey town than a baseball one. When the NHL Senators played in April and May, many fans opted to attend the hockey games instead of supporting the Lynx. This was especially true at the beginning of the Triple-A season in Ottawa, where the weather could be harsh and downright frigid. The Ottawa Citizen offered another two possible reasons for the decline. “Fans didn’t seem to understand that the Lynx were a feeder team, and that the parent club, the Montreal Expos, would always be stealing their best players. The homestands were too long, too.”64 Some people argued that the Expos’ limited spending resulted in lower-quality players in their farm club.65

By 1999 the Lynx’s average attendance plummeted to a mere 2,789 fans per game, leading Darwin to look for potential buyers for the team. The diminishing attendance figures directly correlated with the team’s on-field performance. Following their Governor’s Cup victory in 1995, the Lynx never finished higher than fourth place from 1996 to 2000.

Later it was claimed that the club had been neglecting its sponsors, especially when attendance dropped and their investment didn’t bring in as much exposure.66 This left some members of the city’s business community feeling unappreciated, causing them to question whether they should keep supporting the club.

The Pecor Era (2000-2006)

In the spring of 2000, Ray Pecor, a prosperous Vermont businessman, emerged as a promising candidate to purchase the team. Darwin said that Pecor, who built his fortune as the owner of a successful ferry company, first approached him in August 1999 to explore a potential sale. He claimed that Pecor, who also owned the Montreal Expos’ Class A affiliate in Vermont, was “one of the nine people who have shown interest” in purchasing the Lynx. Darwin set the asking price for the ballclub at $10 million (C), according to the Ottawa Citizen.67

Pecor soon emerged as the front-runner to buy the team. Two major obstacles stood in the way of a sale. The first, which was relatively easy to overcome, involved getting the approval of the International League, minor-league baseball owners and the baseball commissioner’s office. The second and more challenging one was to work out new financial arrangements with the city. Darwin said he had paid the city a half-million dollars in 1999 to use the ballpark – now called JetForm Park – and he and Pecor wanted to lower that to a base rent plus a share of the attendance revenue.68

The city council agreed to review the lease terms, and Darwin and Pecor reached a tentative deal. They agreed that Darwin would retain a 25 percent stake in the Lynx, while Pecor would acquire the rest. Pecor also pledged to keep the team in the city for at least five years, and to cover the outstanding $2.8 million (C) debt on the ballpark if he relocated the team before the lease expired in 2009. The city agreed to lower the rent to $108,000 (C) a season, along with taking a cut of the club’s ticket sales.69

Pecor’s purchase of the team was approved by the International League during a half-hour conference call on the morning of May 26, 2000. “I’m proud to have brought baseball to Ottawa, but it’s time to move and get new blood,” Darwin told the Ottawa Citizen. “I’m very pleased that the club is staying in Ottawa and I want it to be successful.”70

On June 19, 2000, Pecor acquired majority ownership of the Lynx for approximately $7 million (US). This investment also granted Pecor the rights to operate and manage JetForm Park through a renegotiated lease agreement with the city. As part of the agreement, Darwin would maintain his 25 percent stake in the team until January 1, 2001. At the start of the new year, Darwin sold his remaining shares to Pecor for an undisclosed amount. The new owner wasted no time beefing up the team’s marketing staff, adding two new salespeople, and setting his sights on Ottawa’s business community as well as potential fans across the Ottawa River in the neighboring province of Quebec.71 Pecor also swiftly reduced parking fees from $5.50 to $2 (C).72

He and new general manager Kyle Bostwick also sought to put some distance between the new regime and the old one. They retired the team’s popular mascot, Lenny the Lynx, changed the club’s uniforms, and adopted an aggressive new logo.73 “This season we will have an opportunity to put our stamp on the club,” Pecor told the Ottawa Citizen in November 2000.74 Changing the team’s moniker wasn’t on the table. “We didn’t want to change the name because people like the name and it was chosen by the people of Ottawa,” Bostwick told the Citizen. “But we wanted to get rid of any association with any bad experiences people might have had in the past. We want to start fresh.”75

The new owner was not immediately embraced by Ottawa’s business community. Bostwick lamented to the Citizen that his four-person sales team often couldn’t get their phone calls returned. “We have to convince them we’re not the same team,” he said.76

The Lynx finished Pecor’s first full season as the owner with a 68-76 record, their sixth consecutive losing campaign. They also averaged the lowest attendance in the 14-team league, with 2,944 fans per game. Every other team drew at least 4,000 on average. Bostwick confirmed to the Citizen that the club lost money, but he did not disclose the amount. Some of those losses resulted from one-time spending to upgrade the ballpark’s luxury boxes and buying new food-preparation equipment after the team took over concession sales. Bostwick also said the club increased its marketing budget to record levels.77 Pecor later claimed he was losing $1 million (C) a year on the team.78

At the beginning of the 2002 season, Pecor issued a statement warning that relocation might be necessary if the team couldn’t attract a minimum of 4,000 fans per game. Mobley, the president of the International League, expressed his disappointment regarding the Lynx’s attendance. While Mobley acknowledged the efforts of Bostwick and his staff, he emphasized the need for improved attendance. “We need to start seeing some results, beginning with this month and on through the summer,” he said. “If that doesn’t happen, I’m sure Pecor and I will be sitting down to see where things are.”79 A few months later, Pecor offered a glimpse of the club’s financial situation. “It’s not going to be $300,000 or $400,000 (C),” he said of the team’s projected losses. “It’s going to be substantial.”80

In August, Mobley traveled to Ottawa to meet with Pecor and Bostwick at the ballpark, with the team’s attendance as the main focus of the agenda.81 Mobley didn’t mince words about the possibility of the team leaving Ottawa if the crowds didn’t improve. “We’ve got a situation here where (Pecor) is losing millions of dollars,” he said. “That’s not a good situation for a man or for a league. There needs to be a reason to stay here, and right now that’s not being demonstrated.”82

With the specter of relocation hanging over the Lynx, the team severed its 10-year relationship with the Expos in September 2002 and signed a two-year agreement with the Baltimore Orioles.83 That prompted speculation the Lynx would move after the 2003 season.84 Mobley openly mused about relocation. “We’re looking at better options,” he said in June 2003. “I don’t think we’ve seen anything different (from last year). We have to be realistic. I guess, if something miraculous happened, it could change, but I would say the clock is probably ticking. We’re looking through different scenarios right now.”85

Running the team was costing Pecor around $3 million (C) annually, and he estimated he was losing between $700,000 and $1 million (C) a year.86 In order to make a profit, the Lynx needed to attract approximately 4,500 fans per game. Even though he was losing money, Pecor raised the team’s marketing budget to $300,000 (C) for the 2004 season, aiming to draw an average of 5,000 fans per game.87

However, average attendance continued to hover around the 2,100 mark, nearly identical to the team’s levels at the tail end of Darwin’s ownership.88 Pecor approached the city about changing the terms of the stadium lease to allow for other events.89 He ruled out hosting concerts due to concerns about potential noise complaints, but suggested that a temporary dome in the winter could allow for events during the offseason. City officials speculated that Pecor had intentions of selling the Triple-A team and seeking an independent replacement for the stadium.90 That left questions around what would happen if it lost its main tenant. The land surrounding the stadium was appraised at approximately $5.6 million (C) by the city, while the estimated cost to replace the stadium was set at $20 million (C).91

Meanwhile, rumors began circulating that the Orioles were considering purchasing the team and moving it to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.92 The city had caught Pecor’s attention as a possible future home for the Lynx. Nevertheless, it seemed likely that the Lynx would return to Ottawa for the 2005 season.

However, during the summer of 2005, reports started surfacing indicating that US sports entrepreneurs Joseph Finley and Craig Stein, who between them owned three other minor-league ballclubs, had intentions to acquire the Lynx.93 Their plan was to move the team to Allentown, Pennsylvania, with the relocation scheduled for the 2008 season.94

The credibility of these reports seemed to gain weight when, in early July, the Pennsylvania legislature voted in favor of financing the debt for a new stadium in Allentown, projected to cost approximately $34.3 million (US), through an increase to the state’s hotel tax.95 Pecor maintained that he wanted to keep the team in Ottawa, but he made it clear that relocation remained a possibility if attendance didn’t improve.96

In December, Finley and Stein took a significant step by putting down a $750,000 (US) nonrefundable deposit through their company, Gracie Baseball, to secure a Triple-A ballclub.97 They also agreed contribute $1.35 million (US) to a capital fund designated for significant repairs and miscellaneous expenses, to be paid over a span of 29 years. The state, which had already agreed to contribute $12 million (US) toward the $34 million (US) stadium, upped its share by an additional $5 million (US), bringing its commitment to the project to $17 million (US).98 All signs seemed to be pointing to the Lynx moving south of the border.

Joseph Finley and Craig Stein (2006-2008)

In June 2006, news outlets in Pennsylvania reported that Stein and Finley had acquired the Lynx as part of a complex farm-club exchange between the Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles.99 The news coincided with city officials in Allentown giving their approval for the construction of a $34 million (US) ballpark, which was scheduled to be completed in time for the 2008 season.100 Both the Lynx and the International League denied the reports of a sale.101

Throughout the 2006 season, the Lynx consistently struggled with the lowest attendance in the league.102 Uncertainty loomed over the team’s future as Pecor stated that the Lynx would continue playing in Ottawa for the 2007 season, but he offered no guarantees beyond that. Tensions heightened after a meeting between Pecor and Ottawa Mayor Bob Chiarelli on August 24, 2006, to discuss the parking situation at the stadium.103 Pecor vehemently denied reports suggesting that he had informed the city about the Lynx’s impending departure.

He sold the team four days later.104

Under the terms of the deal, Finley and Stein would become majority owners of the team, with Pecor retaining an undisclosed minority stake.105 Although the move to Pennsylvania wasn’t made official until nearly a year later, the ballclub would remain in Ottawa for the 2007 season before moving to the newly built 7,000-seat stadium in Allentown in 2008 to become the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The team also signed a two-year deal to become the Phillies’ farm club after the Orioles ended their affiliation with the Lynx in favor of the Norfolk Tides.106

The City of Ottawa and Pecor wasted no time engaging in legal and financial wrangling shortly after news of the sale broke. Chiarelli contended that Pecor still owed the city nearly $3 million (C) in assumed debt from the club’s purchase from Darwin.107 Pecor shot back, suing the city for $10.7 million (C), arguing that between 1998 and 2000, hundreds of parking spaces were sold and not replaced, leading to insufficient parking at the stadium and contributing to the team’s poor attendance.108 Pecor also asserted that he shouldn’t have to pay a $200,000 (C) penalty for leaving Ottawa before his lease expired in 2009. The city counter-sued for $2.7 million (C).109 Pecor later offered to drop the lawsuit if the city agreed to waive its claim.110

The 2007 season ended without any official notice to the city about the Lynx’s plan to move to Allentown. This created a predicament for the Can-Am league (Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball), which had expressed an interest in fielding a team at the stadium once the Lynx relocated to Pennsylvania.111 But the league needed to know if the stadium would be available for the 2008 season so it could announce its schedule at the end of October 2007. Can-Am Commissioner Miles Wolff met with city officials and Lynx GM Bostwick to discuss the league’s proposal for a new team in Ottawa.112 The Lynx offered stadium assets worth nearly $1 million (C) to the city if it dropped the lawsuit. Otherwise, the team planned to sell off the assets themselves. Neither side budged. The city set a deadline for the Lynx to provide written notice of their departure by October 5, or else it would be assumed that the team intended to play in Ottawa for the 2008 season. That deadline came and went without a response from the Lynx.113

The city agreed to let the Can-Am league take over the Lynx’s remaining two lease seasons, allowing the team to move to Allentown and rebrand as the IronPigs.114 While this arrangement removed any penalties for Pecor’s early departure of the Lynx before the lease ended, the city still expected him to repay the outstanding $3 million (C) debt.

Ottawa’s Can-Am franchise, the Rapidz, had a short-lived existence, playing only one season. They finished last in the standings and accumulated a debt of $1.4 million (C) owed to about 150 creditors.115 The club claimed that the city wanted to increase its yearly rent tenfold, from $108,000 to $1.1 million (C), once the Lynx’s original lease expired at the end of the 2009 season. Wolff was hopeful that Can-Am baseball could come back to Ottawa in 2009. He noted that the Rapidz generated approximately $1.5 million (C) in revenue during their sole season.116

The city and Pecor settled their lawsuit in 2011, with the former Lynx owner agreeing to pay $1.95 million (C).117 However, the legal dispute stemming from the Lynx situation continued with another team. The owners of the Rapidz filed a $3 million (C) lawsuit against both the city and the Can-Am League. The Rapidz took their case all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, which upheld the lower court’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit.118

The departure of the Lynx marked the end of an era for baseball in Ottawa. However, the city’s love for the sport endured. Following the void left by the Lynx, Ottawa welcomed a succession of new teams, including the latest addition of a Frontier League team, the Titans, representing the fourth franchise to call the capital home since the Lynx’s departure. Meanwhile, under the ownership of Finley and Stein, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs continue to flourish, ensuring that Ottawa’s baseball legacy remains alive and well.

Ottawa’s commitment to the game goes beyond memories of the Lynx. The city’s collective passion and unwavering support fuel the sport’s growth. Whether reminiscing about the historic era or celebrating the current achievements of the Frontier League team, Ottawa’s love for baseball continues to resonate throughout the community. This commitment ensures that the sights and sounds of baseball will continue to be enjoyed by fans throughout the city for years to come, creating lasting memories and uniting them in their shared passion for the game.

Notes

1 Don Campbell, “Darwin’s Field of Dreams,” Ottawa Citizen, July 5, 1990.

2 Don Campbell, “Triple A Pitch Strikes the Right Note,” Ottawa Citizen, December 5, 1988.

3 Don Campbell, “Two Baseball Clubs Eye Ottawa as Triple-A Site,” Ottawa Citizen, December 6, 1988.

4 Wayne Scanlan, “Darwin’s Dream Becoming a Reality,” Ottawa Citizen, September 23, 1992.

5 “Two Baseball Clubs Eye Ottawa as Triple-A Site.”

6 Don Campbell, “Interest in Proposed Baseball Stadium as National Training Base,” Ottawa Citizen, January 19, 1989

7 Jack Aubry, “Ottawa Urged to Look at 2 Sites for Ball Stadium,” Ottawa Citizen, January 21, 1989.

8 Lynn McAuley, “Will Ottawa strike out?” Ottawa Citizen, February 7, 1989.

9 Jack Aubry, “Flats Stadium ‘Nonsense,’ Says Planner,” Ottawa Citizen, February 13, 1989.

10 Doug Yonson and Jack Aubry, “Pigott Might Reconsider Lebreton Ballpark Stand,” Ottawa Citizen, March 1, 1989.

11 Don Campbell, “Darwin Offers $5M for Triple-A Club,” Ottawa Citizen, March 8, 1989.

12 Don Campbell. “Triple-A Bid Rejected, Darwin Still Looking,” Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 1989.

13 Don Campbell, “Ottawa Club Hunters Stalk Triple-A Team,” Ottawa Citizen, July 11, 1989.

14 Don Campbell. “Head-Start Expansion Plan Buoys Ottawa Hopes,” Ottawa Citizen, July 12, 1989.

15 Don Campbell, “Ottawa Appeals to Buffalo Rich,” Ottawa Citizen, July 14, 1989.

16 Jack Aubry and Ron Eade, “Ottawa Staff Pitches Bayview Area as Site for Baseball Stadium,” Ottawa Citizen, November 23, 1989.

17 Ron Eade and Don Campbell, “Struck Out: Council Rejects Ballpark Study,” Ottawa Citizen, December 7, 1989.

18 Don Campbell, “Darwin: ‘I’m done,’” Ottawa Citizen, December 21, 1989.

19 Carrie Buchanan, “Nepean Eyes Triple-A Ball,” Ottawa Citizen, December 23, 1989.

20 Ron Eade, “East-End Site Being Eyed for Ballpark?” Ottawa Citizen, March 15, 1990.

21 Ron Eade, “Snow Dump Top Ball Site,” Ottawa Citizen, April 7, 1990.

22 Jack Aubry, “Stadium Approval Appears Assured,” Ottawa Citizen, June 28, 1990; Don Campbell, “Triple-A Official Checks Out Site,” Ottawa Citizen, June 27, 1990.

23 Don Campbell, “Howard Darwin Happy with His Triple-A Field of Dreams,” Ottawa Citizen, June 28, 1990.

24 “Howard Darwin Happy with His Triple-A Field of Dreams.”

25 Doug Kelly, “Labatt’s May Back Triple-A Team,” Ottawa Citizen, July 24, 1990.

26 Don Campbell, “Ottawa’s Triple-A Bid Outraces Opposition,” Ottawa Citizen, September 13, 1990.

27 Don Campbell, “19 Bids for Triple-A Franchises Shock Darwin,” Ottawa Citizen, September 18, 1990.

28 Don Campbell, “Darwin Strides to the Plate,” Ottawa Citizen, November 13, 1990.

29 Don Campbell, “Lack of Stadium Main Drawback in Triple-A Pitch,” Ottawa Citizen, November 16, 1990.

30 Wayne Scanlan, “Darwin’s Still in There Swinging,” Ottawa Citizen, February 3, 1991.

31 “Darwin’s Still in There Swinging”; Ron Eade, “Darwin Will Sell Triple-A Coupons,” Ottawa Citizen, January 29, 1991.

32 Don Campbell, “Triple-A Pledges Pour In,” Ottawa Citizen, February 12, 1991; Tom Spears, “Suites for Proposed Stadium Are Leased,” Ottawa Citizen, March 17, 1991.

33 Don Campbell, “Ottawa Bid for Triple-A Survives Cut.” Ottawa Citizen, April 2, 1991.

34 Ron Eade, “Triple-A Stadium Costs May Rise,” Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 1991.

35 Ron Eade, “Public Costs for Stadium Anger Aldermen,” Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 1991.

36 Don Campbell, “Darwin Committed to Expansion,” Ottawa Citizen, April 12, 1991.

37 Don Campbell, “Darwin Taking 2nd Look at Buying Omaha Royals,” Ottawa Citizen, April 19.

38 Don Campbell, “Triple-A Officials to Visit Ottawa,” Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1991.

39 Martin Cleary and Ron Eade, “Triple-A Bid Needs Bucks,” Ottawa Citizen, June 1, 1991.

40 “Triple-A Bid Needs Bucks.”

41 Don Campbell, “Ottawa Bid One of Final 5 for Triple-A,” Ottawa Citizen, June 25, 1991.

42 Tom Casey, “Darwin Confident Ottawa Bid Will Result in Triple-A Fanchise,” Ottawa Citizen, July 16, 1991.

43 Ron Eade, “Baseball Franchise in Jeopardy,” Ottawa Citizen, August 9, 1991.

44 Ron Eade, “Ottawa Likely to Scale Down Ballpark Plans,” Ottawa Citizen, August 15, 1991.

45 Wayne Scanlan, “Committee to Reassess Ottawa Bid,” Ottawa Citizen, August 16, 1991.

46 Don Campbell, “Ottawa Still Alive for Triple A Franchise,” Ottawa Citizen, September 20, 1991.

47 Don Campbell, “Ottawa Bid Seems Assured,” Ottawa Citizen, September 28, 1991.

48 Don Campbell, “Victory at Last for Darwin,” Ottawa Citizen, September 29, 1991.

49 Don Campbell, “Baseball Is Back,” Ottawa Citizen, September 29, 1991.

50 Don Campbell. “What to Look for in a Triple-A Baseball Team,” Ottawa Citizen, October 1, 1991.

51 Don Campbell, “The Ottawa Lynx: The Animal Behind the Name,” Ottawa Citizen, March 17, 1992.

52 Don Campbell, “Track Record Led Darwin to Hunt Maloney for Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, April 2, 1992.

53 Don Campbell, “Local Radio Broadcasts High on GM’s Agenda,” Ottawa Citizen, April 3, 1992.

54 Don Campbell, “Maloney Will ‘Sell’ the Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, March 31, 1992.

55 Ken Warren, “Lynx Set to Start Selling to Fans,” Ottawa Citizen, May 24, 1992.

56 Michael Prentice, “Lynx Tickets Hot Commodity,” Ottawa Citizen, June 5, 1992.

57 Michael Prentice, “Work Starts on Triple-A Stadium,” Ottawa Citizen, June 19, 1992.

58 Ken Warren, “Linking Up with Expos for Triple-A,” Ottawa Citizen, September 22, 1992.

59 Ken Warren, “Lynx Close to TV Package,” Ottawa Citizen, January 7, 1993.

60 “Radio Seal,” Ottawa Citizen, January 27, 1993.

61 Michael Prentice, “Dining Is in style at Lynx Games,” Ottawa Citizen, March 15, 1993.

62 Jay Stone, “Baseball Opener High Culture,” Ottawa Citizen, April 19, 1993.

63 Roger Collier, “A Farewell to the Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, September 2, 2007.

64 “A Farewell to the Lynx.”

65 Bruce Deachman, “End of a Lost Season,” Ottawa Citizen, September 5, 2000.

66 Wayne Scanlan, “New Owner Finds Promoting Lynx a Tough Sales Pitch,” Ottawa Citizen, January 11, 2001.

67 Bruce Deachman, “Lynx Find Tentative Buyer,” Ottawa Citizen, April 12, 2000.

68 Tom Casey, “Two Hurdles to Lynx Sale,” Ottawa Citizen, April 26, 2000.

69 Tom Casey, “Darwin a Step Closer to Selling Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, May 12, 2000; Casey, “Council OK’s New Lease for Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, May 18, 2000.

70 Tom Casey, “Red Wings Pick on Powell for Eight Runs Against Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, May 24, 2000; Casey, “IL Approves Sale of Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, May 27, 2000.

71 Tom Casey, “It’s Pecor’s Ballgame Now,” Ottawa Citizen, June 20, 2000.

72 Tom Casey, “Front Office Busy with Lynx Away,” Ottawa Citizen, June 23, 2000.

73 Darren Desaulniers, “Lynx to Retire Mascot,” Ottawa Citizen, August 31, 2000; Bruce Deachman, “End of a Lost Season,” Ottawa Citizen, September 5, 2000; Tom Casey, “Lynx Logo Acquires an Attitude,” Ottawa Citizen, November 4, 2000.

74 Tom Casey, “Lynx Owner Eager to Put Own Stamp on Team,” Ottawa Citizen, November 9, 2000.

75 “End of a lost season.”

76 Wayne Scanlan, “New Owner Finds Promoting Lynx a Tough Sales Pitch,” Ottawa Citizen, January 11, 2001.

77 Tom Casey, “Lynx Finish Up-Down Year,” Ottawa Citizen, September 4, 2001.

78 Tom Casey, “Lynx Owner Doesn’t Let Empty Seats Get Him Down,” Ottawa Citizen, April 17, 2003.

79 Tom Casey, “Attendance Key to Lynx Future,” Ottawa Citizen, May 4, 2002.

80 Darren Desaulniers, “Poor Attendance ‘Disappoints’ Pecor,” Ottawa Citizen, June 18, 2002.

81 Tom Casey, “Lynx Brass, League to Fix on Future,” Ottawa Citizen, August 15, 2002.

82 Ken Warren, “‘Use It or Lose It,’ Lynx Fans,” Ottawa Citizen, August 22, 2002.

83 Tom Casey, “Adieu, Expos, Hello Orioles,” Ottawa Citizen, September 24, 2002.

84 “Orioles Not Singing Ottawa’s Praises,” Ottawa Citizen, September 26, 2002.

85 Ken Warren. “IL President Doubts Lynx Can Survive,” Ottawa Citizen, June 20, 2003.

86 Ken Warren, “Let’s Play Two to Open at Home,” Ottawa Citizen, April 16, 2005; Warren, “Lynx Here to Stay … for Now,” Ottawa Citizen, June 7, 2005.

87 Matthew Sekeres, “Options Are Many for Lynx Manager,” Ottawa Citizen, April 7, 2004.

88 Hugh Adami, “’Eventually, I’ll Run Out of Money,’” Ottawa Citizen, July 24, 2004.

89 Hugh Adami, “Lynx Make Pitch for Rent Relief,” Ottawa Citizen, July 20, 2004.

90 Ken Gray, “Lynx Ready to Run, Insiders Fear,” Ottawa Citizen, September 1, 2004.

91 Ken Warren, “U.S. Buyers Poised to Snatch Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, July 1, 2005.

92 “Lynx Ready to Run, Insiders Fear.”

93 Candus Thomson, “O’s Affiliate to Allentown?” Baltimore Sun, July 2, 2005; Dan Sheehan, “Ball Club Owner Weighs In on Rumors,” Allentown (Pennsylvania) Morning Call, July 2, 2005.

94 “U.S. Buyers Poised to Snatch Lynx.”

95 “Lynx Move Nearer Ottawa Exit,” Ottawa Citizen, July 2, 2005; “U.S. Ballpark Deal Could Set Stage for Purchase of Lynx,” Ottawa Citizen, July 3, 2005; John L. Micek, “House Approves Hotel Tax Hike to Help Pay for Ballpark,” Allentown Morning Call, July 3, 2005.

96 Chris Birk, “Future of Red Barons in Our Region Uncertain,” Citizens’ Voice, November 14, 2005.

97 Daniel Patrick Sheehan, “Money Mounts for Lehigh Valley Minor League Baseball.” Allentown Morning Call, December 14, 2005.

98 Romy Varghese, “Minor League Ballpark Gets Nod from Allentown Planning Board,” Allentown Morning Call, June 14, 2006; “Money Mounts for Lehigh Valley Minor League Baseball.”

99 “Phillies Make It Official, Leaving Scranton,” Press Enterprise, June 11, 2006; Romy Varghese, “Planning Unit Gives Thumbs Up to Allentown Stadium,” Allentown Morning Call, June 14, 2006; Ray Saul, “ASA Softball Complex Impresses PIAA Officials and Fans,” Standard-Speaker, June 13, 2006.

100 Romy Varghese, “Planners Support Stadium,” Allentown Morning Call, June 14, 2006.

101 Don Campbell, “‘There Is No Sale Agreement,’” Ottawa Citizen, June 13, 2006.

102 Ken Warren, “Lynx Need Fan ‘Miracle,’” Ottawa Citizen, August 25, 2006.

103 Matthew Sekeres, “Lynx Sue Ottawa for $10.75M Over Parking,” Ottawa Citizen, October 18, 2006.

104 Ken Warren and Vito Pilieci, “Lynx Are Outta Here: Team Sold, Will Move to U.S.,” Ottawa Citizen, August 29, 2006.

105 Jay Hart, “Grand Slam Dunk,” Allentown Morning Call, August 29, 2006.

106 Darren Desaulniers, “Lynx Affiliation with Phillies Hits Pitchers,” Ottawa Citizen, September 28, 2006.

107 Vito Pilieci, “Mayor Says Lynx Owner Owes City $3M,” Ottawa Citizen, August 31, 2006.

108 “Lynx Sue Ottawa for $10.75M Over Parking.”

109 Joanne Chianello, “City Wins Legal Battle Against Former Lynx Owner Pecor,” Ottawa Citizen, March 18, 2011.

110 Darren Desaulniers, “Can-Am Talks with City Can’t Go into Extra Innings,” Ottawa Citizen, October 2, 2007.

111 Darren Desaulniers, “Fans Pitch In to Keep Baseball at Lynx Stadium,” Ottawa Citizen, September 2, 2007.

112 “Can-Am Talks with city Can’t Go into Extra Innings,” Ottawa Citizen, October 2, 2007.

113 Don Campbell, “Lynx Don’t Budge at City Deadline,” Ottawa Citizen, October 6, 2007.

114 Laura Drake and Don Campbell, “Pro Baseball Will Be Back at Lynx Stadium in ’08,” Ottawa Citizen, November 29, 2007.

115 Don Campbell, “Rapidz Out at Home After One Season,” Ottawa Citizen, September 30, 2008; Don Campbell, “City Would Only Go to 5 years, Rapidz Say,” Ottawa Citizen, October 1, 2008.

116 Don Campbell, “Can-Am league Still Up for Ottawa Challenge,” Ottawa Citizen, November 20, 2008.

117 Joanne Chianello, “City Wins Legal Battle Against Former Lynx Owner Pecor.”

118 Momentous.ca Corporation, et al. v. Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball Ltd., et al., [2011] 3 S.C.R. 694, 2011 SCC 63, available at: https://www.scc-csc.ca/case-dossier/info/sum-som-eng.aspx?cas=33999 (last visited June 23, 2023).