<P> With Gene Mauch as their inaugural manager, the Expos made their debut on April 8, 1969: an 11--10 victory over the New York Mets at Shea Stadium . The team played its first home game--and the first Major League game outside the United States--on April 14; it was an 8--7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals before 29,184 fans at Jarry Park Stadium . Three days later, on April 17, Bill Stoneman pitched the first no - hitter in Expos history with a 7--0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies . The excitement of the early - season heroics quickly gave way to the realities of being an expansion team as the Expos struggled for much of their inaugural season . Montreal tied their expansion cousins, the San Diego Padres for the worst record in the NL with a record of 52--110 . The team fared little better in the following seasons; the Expos went 73--89 in 1970 and 71--90 in 1971 . </P> <P> The team's best player, and first star, in its early seasons was Rusty Staub . Acquired from the Houston Astros in a trade prior to the Expos' inaugural season, he led the Expos with 30 home runs in 1970 and, owing to his red hair, was nicknamed Le Grand Orange . Staub was Montreal's lone representative at the Major League Baseball All - Star Game in the team's first three seasons, and endeared himself to the local fans by learning French . Also popular was pitcher Claude Raymond, who completed his Major League career with Montreal in 1972 and was the team's first French - Canadian star . Pitcher Carl Morton, who posted an 18--11 record in 1970, was the first player in franchise history to be named National League Rookie of the Year . Bill Stoneman threw his second no - hitter, and the first pitched outside the United States, in a 7--0 win over the Mets in Montreal on October 2, 1972 . </P> <P> The team failed to post a winning season in its first ten years and finished fifth or sixth in the six - team NL East eight times . Attendance declined as the initial excitement of having a team wore off . It recovered briefly in 1973 as the Expos mounted an unsuccessful charge at the NL East pennant, before declining sharply in 1974 and beyond . By 1976, attendance had dropped to just over 600,000 fans over the course of the season, less than half of what the Expos drew in their inaugural season . </P> <P> The on - field product was not the only concern for the Expos . Jarry Park was only intended to serve as a temporary home until 1971 at the latest . Even allowing for this, it left much to be desired as a baseball venue . The grandstands were completely exposed to the elements, forcing the Expos to postpone a number of early - season games . Additionally, the sun set directly in the face of first basemen, forcing delays . Due to numerous delays and cost overruns with its intended replacement, Olympic Stadium, the Expos were forced to stay in Jarry until 1976 . </P>

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