Montreal Expos Fans Sendoff Team

Much to the dismay of Montreal Expo fans, Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that Canada's first big league team was to be relocated to Washington D.C. for next year's season after 35 seasons in the predominately French speaking city.

"It's a day where the sun sets in Montreal and I guess a day where the sun rises in Washington," Tony Tavares, president of the Expos said. He added that that it was a "terrific day" for baseball.

MLB will begin to accept and review bids to have new ownership in place in Washington for the start of the 2005 season, according to Reuters.

Washington has not has its own major league team since the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers post the 1971 season, which was 33 years ago.

Relocation of the club is subject to a formal vote of the baseball team owners in November and legislation from the District of Columbia council to provide for the financing and construction of a ballpark on the Anacostia River waterfront. In the meantime, the Washington team will play in a refurbished RKF Stadium.

At Tuesday night's game, fans held up placards in English and French pleading the team to stay in their stomping ground. Reports said about 27,000 fans were expected to show up for Wednesday's game, more than double the season average.

While MLB fans doubt the ability of the Expos, a team that has been in existence for 36 years and never seen the inside of a World Series, it seems the capital's wait for a baseball team is now over. The debate over a suitable name, however, has just begun.