Expos big part of Canadian HOF weekend

NEW YORK -- The Expos will be front and center during the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's annual induction weekend that runs Thursday through Sunday.

Former Montreal third baseman Tim Wallach, general manager Murray Cook and legendary broadcaster Dave Van Horne will be honored during a ceremony on Saturday in St. Mary's, Ontario. Former Canadian national team coach Jim Ridley also will be inducted posthumously.

The induction ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. ET on the Hall of Fame grounds and is just one component of the four-day event. There was a celebrity slo-pitch game on Thursday, a golf tournament on Friday, and a Blue Jays Super Camp for kids on Saturday and Sunday.

"Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers and sponsors, we've been able to add even more events to our induction festivities this year," Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame director of operations Scott Crawford said in a statement. "There's truly something for everyone during the four days of activities. I'm very proud to honour the careers of four worthy inductees who, each in their own way, have made a permanent imprint on baseball in this country."

Wallach is the Expos all-time leader in multiple categories including games played (1,767), hits (1,694), doubles (360), RBI (905) and total bases (2,728). He also ranks third all-time amongst Expos in runs (737) and fourth in home runs (204).

Van Horne is a current broadcaster for the Marlins, but fans north of the border will always remember him most for his time in Montreal. Van Horne started calling games for the Expos in 1969 and continued working in the city until the end of the 2000 season. The most memorable call from his 32 seasons arguably came when Dennis Martinez tossed a perfect game on July 28, 1991, which prompted Van Horne to say "El Presidente, El Perfecto!"

Cook was named Montreal's GM on Sept. 5, 1984. He drafted left-hander Randy Johnson, signed Martinez and rebuilt the Expos organization into a contender during his three years.