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Montreal, Quebec
June 18, 1997
More than 40 years ago, Jackie Robinson was the phenomenon we associated with the Montreal Royals. Today, players like Roger Clemens and Roberto Alomar are the superstars of Montreal.
In a flurry of last minute decisions, DC United had to leave town after it's former owner filed for backruptcy. Signing big name players to big salaries did not reap it's rewards for the DC Pepper League franchise. The team performed poorly, and consequently there will little enthusiasm in Washington: the attendance was the lowest on record. Still, the news was a shock for everyone, especially the players.
"One of the reasons I signed in Washington was to be able to play for a competitive team for several years, perhaps the rest of my career," commented Roger Clemens. "Hopefully, I'll be able to count on that in Montreal."
Most of the players had little time to comment. They were busy sorting out their own affairs, and quickly packing up for the move north. To add to the situation, the former DC United team is faced with a 6-game losing streak going into their new home town. "Really, nothing has been going right for us lately," said the skipper. "Obviously, the move doesn't help."
In early June a young millionaire, Peter Carbonetto, quickly scooped up the team and scheduled a quick move to Montreal. It was no news that the team wasn't doing well in Washington, mostly due to the awful stadium atmosphere.
"It was no secret that no one wanted to go to see the baseball team in DC," Carbonetto said in a press conference at Montreal. "It was an awful location, terrible accessibility, and lets remember that it wasn't original constructed for baseball, either. In Montreal, a new downtown stadium is already being constructed, and it will be an atmosphere Montrealers can truely enjoy."
Currently, the Montreal Royals are in the division cellar. There is much room for improvement, as they have been underachieving so far. The fans in Montreal can only hope that the move will cause the team to turn over a new leaf. There is still more than half of the season left to go.
"Before looking ahead, we want to win our first game right here in Montreal," said right fielder Bobby Bonilla. "More than anything right now, more than winning in our division, we want to win over our new fans."
Written by Peter Carbonetto