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Cubs History: Andre Dawson and the year of the blank contract

Andre Dawson, Chicago Cubs (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images)

Andre Dawson spent six seasons with the Chicago Cubs. The Hall of Fame outfielder carried a career .285/.327/.507 line in his time on the North Side. He earned All-Star nods in five seasons. In 1987, he offered the Cubs a blank contract leading to one of the strangest transactions in Major League Baseball history.

Dawson was fresh off a year in which he slashed .284/.338/.478, posting a 123 OPS+ in the process. From 1977-86 as a member of the Montreal Expos, Dawson had not only won the NL Rookie of the Year, but had three top-ten MVP finishes.