Didier spotted his potential

In 1975, the Montreal Expos selected Dawson in the eleventh round after he made the Florida A&M University baseball team. Dawson was a September 11 call-up in 1976 after spending a year in Lethbridge, Alberta, and most of a season divided between Quebec (Double-A) and Denver (Triple-A). In Montreal's center field, Dawson made the most of his first full season in the majors in 1977. With 19 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases, Dawson batted.282. He won the National League Rookie of the Year after collecting 148 hits and scoring 64 runs.

One of the interesting facts about Andre Dawson is that Mel Didier noticed him when he was playing center field for the Florida A & M Rattlers. Due to other clubs' failure to see his potential, so the Expos scout was able to sign him. Dawson was later likened to Hank Aaron by Didier. Didier noted that "Hank Aaron had the fastest boat I've ever seen" in his scouting report. Andre Dawson can run and throw, and he has a bat like that. He's going to be a great athlete.