Looking back, former Montreal Expo Tim Raines says he became the man he is once he arrived in Montreal.
"I grew up here in this city, I went through some good times, some bad times—more good times—and we had a lot of fun," he reminisced Thursday at a news conference in Montreal.
Raines will be honoured Friday night during an exhibition game at Olympic Stadium between the Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates. A tribute is planned for 6:35 p.m. Friday ahead of the 7 p.m. game start.
"We had a lot of fun in the Big O," Raines said Thursday, just before he was due to ceremonially drop the puck at the Bell Centre ahead of the Montreal Canadiens' home game against Florida.
"Fans came to cheer, and I came to help them cheer," Raines added. "Those were the days, and those days are no longer, [but] hopefully we'll get that back."
The seven-time MLB all-star was quick to add that he'll do his part, if needed, to bring pro-baseball back to Montreal.
"If I can do anything to help this city get a team back, then I'm all in," he said.
Raines will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this July, the third Expo to enter the pantheon of greats.
He is to be given a key to the city on Friday, during a ceremony at city hall with Mayor Denis Coderre.
—with files from CTV Montreal