Dawson Confirms He’ll Call It a Career

MIAMI — Standing at a microphone to bid baseball goodbye, Andre Dawson uncharacteristically choked up in the clutch.

Dawson, 42, held a news conference Wednesday to confirm that he will retire at the end of the season, and the words did not come easily for the Florida Marlin outfielder.

He rubbed his eyes, sniffled, sighed and stopped several times to regain his composure, once pausing for more than a minute.

“I shocked myself,” Dawson said later with a smile. “It just wouldn’t come out. That’s when I knew I was in trouble.”

Dawson’s wife, Vanessa, joined him at the lectern and read the first part of his statement.

“Some nine years ago, most critics thought that I was physically unable to continue as a professional baseball player,” she read. “But I did. Now the time has come for me to bid farewell to my jealous lover--baseball.”

The announcement was hardly a surprise. Dawson said last month he expected to retire this year.

Now on the disabled list because of inflammation in one of his long-troublesome knees, he hopes to play at least one more game.

Yet the acknowledgment that the end is near made Dawson want to cry.

“This much emotion I’ve never seen from him,” Vanessa Dawson said. “I didn’t think this would happen. But it’s very hard. It’s been a long time coming.”

Despite 12 knee operations, Dawson, a possible Hall of Famer, has spent 21 years in the major leagues. He played for the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox before returning to his hometown of Miami and joining the Marlins last year.

Dawson’s announcement came one day after the Marlins traded another former National League most valuable player, Terry Pendleton, to the Atlanta Braves.

Dawson has 437 home runs, 22nd on the career list, and 314 stolen bases, making him one of four players with more than 300 homers and 300 steals. The others are Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonds.

“For the people who didn’t get to see him play in his prime--you missed something,” Marlin General Manager Dave Dombrowski said.

Dawson, who has won six Gold Gloves, reached the majors in 1976.

In 1987 he hit 49 homers and was the NL MVP with the sixth-place Chicago Cubs.

He played in eight All-Star games but never reached the World Series.

“You can’t have everything, right?” he said with a smile.

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Dawson’s Achievements

Florida Marlin outfielder Andre Dawson confirmed Wednesday that he’ll retire at the end of the season. Among his achievements in a 21-year career:

* Eight-time all-star.

* Six Gold Gloves.

* 437 home runs, 22nd on the career list. Eddie Murray, who has 497, is the only active player with more.

* 314 stolen bases.

* One of four players with more than 300 homers and 300 steals. The others are Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays.

* 1,587 RBIs, 23rd on the career list.

* National League most valuable player with the sixth-place Chicago Cubs in 1987, when he had 49 home runs and 137 RBIs.

* 1977 National League rookie of the year with the Montreal Expos.