Watertown Expos

Northern League (1970-1971)

Background

In June 1970 the Montreal Expos threw up their hands in exasperation with their top farm club in Buffalo, New York. The Bisons of the Class AAA International League were in perilous condition, with a decrepit stadium and demoralized fan base. In an odd move, the Expos engineered the abrupt mid-season transfer of the Buffalo franchise to Winnipeg, Alberta, of all places, nearly 1,000 miles away from the team’s closest International League competitor.

The Bisons became the Winnipeg Whips on June 11, 1970. The shift had the knock-on effect of displacing the Class A Winnipeg Goldeyes, set to begin their schedule in the short-season Northern League just two weeks later. The Expos worked with Northern League officials to hastily install a replacement club in Watertown, South Dakota. Watertown had lasted hosted pro baseball nearly a half century earlier with the Watertown Cubs (1921-1923) of the Dakota League.

The Watertown Expos played their first game just two weeks after forming.

On The Field

The Expos posted losing records in 1970 (32-38) and again in 1971 (30-40). Six Watertown Expos players eventually made it to the Majors.  Pitcher Dale Murray (Watertown ’70) and outfielder Tony Scott (Watertown ’70) were the most prominent alumni, both enjoying decade-long MLB careers.

Tony Scott was the last active player from the Watertown Expos in professional baseball, appearing for the Winter Haven Super Sox of the Senior Professional Baseball Association during the winter of 1989-90.

Demise

The Northern League was in decline by the time Watertown joined in 1970. The circuit featured just six clubs in Minnesota and South Dakota in 1970. That number shrunk to four clubs in 1971. In November 1971, the Montreal Expos pulled the plug on Watertown. The Northern League itself folded in early 1972.

Professional baseball has never returned to Watertown, South Dakota since the Expos departure in 1971.

Links

Northern League Programs 1933-1971

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