May 21, 2019

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

That Expos' logo is just killing it and rocking it and Clair Stewart is part of the reason why.

Manufacturers and retailers around North America, but especially Canada, are reaping the benefits of a symbol still resonating with fans even though the Expos left Montreal for Washington, D.C following the 2004 season.

That was 15 years ago.

Stewart designed the logo in 1968 and how he came to be hired by Charles Bronfman and his ownership team is unknown.

"I have no idea what Clair's firm was paid and I don't even recall how we knew him,'' Bronfman told me in an interview. "I recall that we wanted to have a Canadian do the design and he was great. At first, I thought that the merchandise was selling out of nostalgia. But I guess that the design's still considered cool. And don’t forget that we originated the tri-coloured cap.’’

Stewart had worked primarily for the Toronto-based Stewart and Morrison firm, which was considered Canada's first truly modern graphic-design company. He helped produced logos for CTV, Laura Secord, Air Canada, Catelli Pasta, the major banks and many other companies. He died in 2008 at the age of 98.

The Expos logo was considered a take-off on the Montreal Canadiens colour scheme and it sure has worked wonders, even though the franchise no longer exists.

"The logo is a simple, stylish mark born during the all-time greatest period of design, the late 1960s,'' said Chris Creamer, founder and editor of sportslogos.net, which he operates out of Port Perry, Ont.

"The Expos still have a place on people's hearts. People love to wear Expos stuff,'' said Abe Rotenberg, co-owner of Gertex, which has a studio and factory on Densley Ave. in west-end Toronto. "Scarves are a popular item, a great item.''

Ironically, it was following the demise of the Expos that saw Gertex experience a growth in Expos' merchandise sales. Fans can obtain Expos stuff online at gertex.com but the company's products are also available in retail stores such as The Beer Store, an Ontario conglomerate that has been selling suds for over 90 years.

It was in one of these stores that this reporter's wife recently snagged a three-pack of Expos socks in different colours and different variations of the logo. Every single piece of merchandise is conceived at Gertex’s Toronto studio where graphic designers and product developers breathe life into every collection.

"We don't carry clothing but we have all kinds of wares, socks, toques, gloves, scarves, blankets, all proved by Major League Baseball. We have a MLB licensed store,'' Rotenberg said. "We have a market out there that loves to wear Expos merchandise.

"I do wish the Expos were still around and that there was a National League team in Montreal. I've always been a Yankees' fan. I was devastated by the 1994 strike. I was born in New York and grew up there. I was a big Don Mattingly fan and it would have been nice to see the Yankees and Expos in the World Series but the baseball gods had other plans.''

Bill Walker, a communications specialist with Midtown public relations firm acting on behalf of The Beer Store, declined to acknowledge my request for an interview and provide information on what percentage of Expos sales revert back to TBS and MLB.

"Expos caps continue to be in the top 10 selling teams in Canada each year and we also see sales in the United States due to the iconic logo and style,'' said Rick Baetz, New Era Cap's Managing Director of Canada. "The New Era Cooperstown Montreal Expos Pinwheel cap is the most iconic and popular Expos item.

“We see fans buying these in multiple silhouettes including the 59FIFTY, 39THIRTY and 9FORT. Fans can find a number of Expos caps, including the original New Era Montreal Expos Authentic Collection 59FIFTY as well as New Era Cooperstown Collection Expos caps in multiple colourways.''

Fans can find Expos caps manufactured by New Era Cap at Lids, Sports Experts, Champs and Footlocker along with boutique fashion retailers in Canada.

Even a Philadelphia company called Mitchell and Ness Nostalgia Co. has been getting in on the must-have Expos action.

"We can tell that in Canada and the United States, there is still a lot of interest in the Expos apparel,'' said Lynn Bloom, Mitchell and Ness' director of authentics and archives. "The Expos' logo remains one of the most popular logos out there. We find that people respond to the red, white and blue logo.

“Without a team being there, we do pretty good. People still respond to the vintage logo. I still think there's just something about the logo that really captivates people.''

Bloom revealed that batting-practice jerseys for three Expos legends in particular are very popular: Tim Raines, Gary Carter and Vladimir Guerrero. The 1984 Expos jacket also draws a lot of interest along with T-shirts, hoodies and authentic jerseys, Bloom said.

"The Guerrero jersey, definitely, did phenomenally well when it was brought in for his Hall of Fame induction in 2018,'' Bloom said. "Upcoming, we're going to bring in jerseys for Larry Walker and Randy Johnson in April, 2020.''

MLB's senior manager of business communications David Hochman said MLB doesn't reveal figures for Expos sales and doesn't identify what teams are the top revenue-generators but he knows that the former Montreal team still attracts a lot of sales.

Hochman said that under MLB’s revenue-sharing agreement, all 30 teams receive revenue from the sale of Expos merchandise.

"With its unorthodox, pinwheeled cap paired with a classic rouge-blanc-et-bleu colour scheme, it's a logo that's guaranteed to stand the test of time and live forever in the hearts of baseball fans around the world,'' Creamer said.

"A quick walk through any shop throughout Montreal will quickly reveal its lasting impact on the city today, over a half century after its unveiling. Entering any of the city's sports shops, you'd be forgiven for thinking the Expos were still taking the field at the Big O, rather than having been hastily shuffled off to Washington over a decade ago.''

Stewart would be looking down from on high with a smile on his face in admiration.

Danny Gallagher’s just-released book Genius is a semi-biography of Rick Mauran, the founder of Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s and Mackenzie Financial.;