The sports caverns of Quebec: an Expo museum in its basement in Laval

Sports caves, which English speakers affectionately call “man caves,” are becoming more and more popular. Sports fans are ready to do anything to make their basement an anthology room where they can gather to show their love for their favorite team, regardless of the discipline.

The Journal toured a few towns in the province, looking for some hidden treasures and came across some real gems that you will be happy to discover.

Gold gloves won by Andre Dawson and Gary Carter, the jersey worn by The Kid on the last hit of his career and a ton of merchandise from his all-time favorite player, Vladimir Guerrero.

It’s a real museum found in the basement of Perry Giannias’ house in Laval. Not only is he beyond any doubt the world’s largest collector of objects from the defunct Montreal Expos, but the 57-year-old man has the distinction of owning a host of objects that have already belonged to “Nos Z’Amours” . He even has some old torn boxer shorts that pitcher Steve Rogers once wore.

We are not talking here about cups, figurines or other promotional items that can be found in flea markets or bazaars. These are unique pieces of great value, except perhaps for… the boxer shorts.

“Steve Rogers couldn’t believe it when I told him I had this,” Giannias said, laughing. He still agreed to autograph them.”

Authenticated documents

Faced with the proliferation of Expo logos, a wind of nostalgia hits you as soon as you descend the stairs leading to its cave. But don’t think that Giannias loses sleep every night imagining a possible return of major baseball to Montreal. He secretly maintains a slight hope, but remains very realistic. The collector will at least have experienced the good years of the Expos and, it is fair to say, kept precious memories.

“I bought this jersey at a Carter family auction a few years after Gary passed away,” says Giannias, walking towards a display dedicated to the former receiver. I knew he had used it during a match in 1992, but it was only by comparing the small vertical lines on the back of the jersey that we could establish that it was the one he wore when he hit his famous double over the head of Andre Dawson…”

As proof, the jersey was indeed worn by Carter during the last match of his career, on September 27, 1992, at the Olympic Stadium.

“We asked a specialized company, which did a photo-match to prove it, and I have a letter which confirms it,” explains Giannias. This is indeed the jersey that Carter wore in his last game, his last appearance, his last hit and his last RBI.

To add to the anecdote, the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown thought it had this famous Carter shirt, until the Laval collector managed to prove the opposite.

“I also got my hands on a ball that belonged to Gary Carter and that Ted Williams had autographed to him, it’s truly a unique piece,” he continues, showing the treasure.

From Souki to Youppi!

More imposingly, Giannias also hides in his basement the wax statue of Gary Carter, recovered following the closure of the Grévin Museum in Montreal in 2021. He would happily find another home for it, where the population could pay tribute, but his efforts have been in vain so far.

Giannias also makes it a duty to share his collection when it helps perpetuate the memory of the Expos. This was the case with a Youppi costume! which he loaned to the Pointe-à-Callière museum, in Old Montreal, for a clip exhibition marking the 30^e anniversary of the 1994 season.

He keeps a second Youppi! in its basement – ​​“this is the one that was expelled after a complaint from manager Tommy Lasorda in 1989” – as well as a costume of the previous and awful mascot, Souki.

Santovenia’s pants

Among the objects of the greatest Expos legends emerge the names of several other more marginal players. This gives the impression of traveling through the eras, from 1969 to 2004, and of joining the different generations.

“There’s something funny about the wax statue of Gary Carter,” Giannias suddenly says, with a smile. She is not wearing pants that belonged to Gary Carter, but those of another former Expos catcher: Nelson Santovenia.

By simply mentioning the name Santovenia, Giannias magically transported the visitor to the end of the 1980s, when the wearing of a mustache was as widespread as it was spectacular.

Much more beautiful than a hockey puck…

“A baseball is so beautiful, with its seams. There is no one who will make me believe that a hockey puck is that beautiful.”

In front of a display of his most precious balls, which number in the dozens, Perry Giannias speaks of the round object with nostalgia, tenderness and emotion.

“My collection started when I was in elementary school, there was a classmate, Stacey Deneka, who said she could have a baseball autographed by any Expos player for me,” recalls -he. I didn’t believe her, but her father, Stan [ancien agent et recruteur, NDLR]was near the organization and Stacey brought me a ball autographed by Ellis Valentine.

Giannias still has this ball, on which, years later, he asked Valentine to put a second signature.

“It may be the least expensive item in my collection, but this ball has a symbolic value for me,” he says.

A passion passed down from his father

Quickly, Perry Giannias comes to talk about his father, Peter, to explain his great passion for baseball.

“My father immigrated from Greece in the early 1960s and rather than liking hockey where, like soccer, you have to score goals, he discovered baseball, and he made me love the sport at my tour,” he sums up.

Peter, who is still alive, was a restaurateur for a long time. In addition to a few creameries, he was the owner of Pierre Sous-marins.

“He worked so hard, and that’s probably why, when I was younger, I was signed up for baseball rather than hockey,” says Giannias. My father didn’t have time to run around the arenas.”

Strong opinions

In his rare spare time, Peter would bring his family to Olympic Stadium, hence Perry’s love of baseball. Touring his basement, Giannias talks about the sport, and particularly the Expos, recalling sweet memories. He also has strong opinions, which certainly makes a visit to the museum more enjoyable.

“Steve Rogers is the best pitcher in Expos history,” he said. If you know the ball, it’s not even a debate. I liked Pedro Martinez, but you can’t give that title to a player who only pitched four seasons with the team.”

Showing off his collection, Giannias scrolls through the names of players from different eras.

“I would like, one day, to add an object that belonged to Mike Marshall, but it is very rare,” he said, about the mysterious reliever who played with the Expos from 1970 to 1973. Marshall was a strange man, he didn’t sign anything and he didn’t talk to anyone.”

Collector and philanthropist

Beyond his personal collection, Perry Giannias used his great passion for Expos to create the Kat D DIPG Foundation with other members of his family. Expos Fest events raise funds for cancer research, having also created the Kat Demes Pavilion, which houses families whose children are undergoing long-term treatment at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.