About Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium in Montreal, originally built for the 1976 Summer Olympics, became the home of the Expos in 1977 when they moved from tiny Jarry Park. The massive concrete structure with its distinctive inclined tower (the tallest in the world at 175 meters) was an engineering marvel but a poor baseball venue.
The retractable roof, designed to be supported by cables from the tower, was plagued by mechanical problems and eventually replaced with a non-retractable membrane. The cavernous stadium, often sparsely attended, made it difficult to create an intimate baseball atmosphere.
Despite the venue's shortcomings, the Expos produced remarkable teams, including the 1994 squad that had the best record in baseball when the players' strike ended the season. The Expos played their final game in Montreal on September 29, 2004, before relocating to Washington, D.C. as the Nationals.
Fun facts
- The stadium's retractable roof was supposed to open and close via cables from the tower — it never worked properly.
- The inclined tower is the tallest inclined structure in the world at 175 meters (574 feet).
- The 1994 Expos — Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker, Moises Alou — might have won it all if not for the strike.
- Olympic Stadium was nicknamed "The Big O" — some said it stood for "The Big Owe" due to its massive cost overruns.
Been to Olympic Stadium? Track it — along with 390+ ballparks — and build your baseball story.
Get Ballpark Bucket ListMore historical ballparks
- Municipal Stadium · Kansas City, Missouri
- Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum · Oakland, California
- Polo Grounds · New York, New York
- RFK Stadium · Washington, D.C.
- Riverfront Stadium · Cincinnati, Ohio