We asked broadcaster Dave Van Horne, honoured with the Ford C. Frick award in Cooperstown in 2011 to pick the top five Montreal Expos who reside in Cooperstown. Van Horne was the lead play-by-play broadcaster opening day 1969 ... and it stayed that way for 32 years.

A Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. Van Horne now works Miami Marlins games as he has since 2001. Van Horne was named the 1996 Jack Graney award winner and in 2014 was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys.

Vlad Guerrero ... is rated No. 5 of the Expos in Cooperstown

Pedro Martinez ... is No. 4

And third on the list is OF Tim Raines

By Dave Van Horne

Tim Raines was an “all-around” star athlete at Seminole High School in Sanford High School. His first love as a teenager was football. Baseball came second, along with track, basketball and any other competitive athletic endeavor he participated in. He was small in stature but was always the “best” at everything. He drew attention from nearly 100 college football scouts, but I think Tim always knew, that while he could have played collegiately, football beyond that would be a short career.

Montreal drafted Raines in the fifth round of the 1977 draft and I recall running into long time scout and baseball executive, Mel Didier in September that season. He said, the Expos have a kid, fresh out of high school .playing in the Gulf Coast League. He can steal a base at any time and against any pitcher/catcher combination. The best I’ve ever seen at that age, and a big bonus, he can hit!

In 1978, his first full season as a professional ballplayer, Raines was on the fast track, in more ways than one. We heard about him all during the season. He seemed to turn every single into a double. At Memphis, the Expos double-a club, he was just electrifying on the base paths. At the end of that minor league season, he was brought up to the big league team in September and was used as a pinch runner only. He didn’t have an at-bat, but pinch ran six times and stole two bases and scored three runs. Just a mini preview of things to come.

From 1981-1990, wearing the Expos uniform, he established himself as one of the premier players in the National League and, arguably, the best leadoff hitter in baseball. He stole 635 of his 808 career stolen bases while with Montreal and electrified the fans with his running game.

He was a charismatic figure on the field, in the dugout and the clubhouse. He loved playing the game and it showed. His infectious smile, the high pitched laugh and his sense of humor kept teammates laughing. His ability to use his facial expressions, which could go from a frown to a big smile and a laugh in a second, were on display everyday. He was in the middle of all the fun times in the clubhouse, most all of the time.

When he and Andre Dawson would engage with each other in teasing and faux ridicule, the whole team would react and it became a highlight of the pre or post game prep time. He had fun on the field as well, but was all business, highly competitive always, and yes, used his comic side to disarm and at times, distract the opposing players. Raines, like all of those Expos in the late 1970’s and well into the 1990’s, hated to lose.

My favorite memory of Tim was a game he played in 1987. Rock has missed the first month of that season, as per baseball rules. He had become a free agent in November of 1986. After not signing with another team, he had to wait until May 1 to re-sign, as a Free Agent with Montreal. His first game back was at Shea Stadium vs. the Mets and right-hander, David Cone.

He was hitting third in the batting order and, I believe it was on the first pitch, he hit a booming triple to right field. That would have scored a run, had Casey Candaele, after a lead-off walk, tried to steal second base and was thrown out. Who’d he think he was! The Rock!)

In the third, he drew a walk, promptly stole second and scored the first run of the game on a single by Andres Galarraga.

Raines lead off the fifth and grounded out. The only out he’d make that day!

He singled to right field in the top of the sixth, facing Met pitcher Terry Leach

He hit another single, an infield hit, to lead off the top of the ninth, then scored a run to help the Expos tie the game 6-6.

To cap off his game, Raines hit a grand slam facing off Jesse Orosco in the top of the 10th, breaking the tie.

Montreal went on to win 11-7! Raines, for the day, went 4-for-5, with a walk, a stolen base and the four RBIs.

Welcome back! Tim Raines!

Raines stayed in the No. 3 position until August when he was again placed in the lead-off spot.

That season, in spite of missing the first month, Raines lead the league for the second time, also 1983) with 123 runs scored. He was an All Star and in the hunt for MVP honors in 1987. He hit.330, finishing third in the league and was fourth in stolen bases with 50.

I’ve seen so many players over my 50 years broadcasting baseball. Tim Raines heads my list of the most exciting players. I’ve seen Lou Brock, Joe Morgan, Juan Pierre, Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, Davey Lopes, Delino DeShields, Brett Butler, Otis Nixon and even Maury Wills near the end of his career.

For me, none as exciting and as well rounded a player as The Rock.