Jarry Park Stadium was a compact, sun-splashed ballpark in Montreal’s Parc Jarry that became the improbable birthplace of Major League Baseball outside the United States. From 1969 to 1976, it was home to the Montreal Expos, and for eight seasons it delivered a mix of scrappy charm, brutal weather, and genuinely historic baseball moments.
This guide covers everything about Jarry Park: its opening-day upset over the Cardinals, the field’s odd dimensions and famous swimming pool, the biggest moments the park ever hosted, why the Expos eventually left, and what actually stands on the site today.
Quick Answer
Jarry Park Stadium was the Montreal Expos’ home ballpark from 1969 to 1976 and, on April 14, 1969, was the site of the first MLB regular-season game ever played outside the United States. The site is now IGA Stadium (Stade IGA), an 11,815-seat tennis venue that hosts the National Bank Open, located within the still-public Parc Jarry.
A Historic Debut for Canadian Baseball
The Expos arrived in 1969 as MLB’s first franchise outside the United States, and Jarry Park was a rushed compromise. The site had opened in 1960 as a modest 3,000-seat amateur field, built to keep minor league baseball alive in Montreal after the Dodgers pulled their Montreal Royals affiliate. When the city balked at a $7 million new stadium, Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau pushed a rapid expansion of Jarry Park instead, adding bleachers and a scoreboard to stretch capacity to roughly 28,000.
The rush showed. On Opening Day, April 14, 1969, former Canadian prime minister Lester B. Pearson threw out the first pitch before an announced crowd of 29,184 — more fans than the park technically held, some sitting on folding chairs because the permanent bleachers weren’t finished yet. The Expos beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8–7, and Jarry Park earned its place in baseball history as the first MLB regular-season venue outside the U.S.
Inside the Ballpark: Dimensions and “La Piscine de Willie”
Jarry Park was small and asymmetrical by design necessity: 340 feet down each foul line, 368 feet to the power alleys, and 417 feet to straightaway center. A public swimming pool sat just beyond the right-field fence — a leftover from the site’s amateur-park days that became the ballpark’s signature quirk.
That pool turned into a piece of baseball folklore thanks to Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Willie Stargell. On July 16, 1969, Stargell launched a home run an estimated 495 feet over the scoreboard and into the pool, and he did it again on May 31, 1972. Montreal fans and French-language broadcasters nicknamed the water hazard “La Piscine de Willie” (Willie’s Pool), and when Stargell retired in 1982 the Expos presented him with a life preserver as a tribute to his splash-hit legacy.
Legendary Moments on the Field
Beyond opening day and Stargell’s home runs, Jarry Park hosted several other milestones. On October 2, 1972, Expos right-hander Bill Stoneman no-hit the New York Mets 7–0, the first no-hitter thrown in a game played outside the United States. On May 9, 1972, Willie Mays made his final appearance in a San Francisco Giants uniform at Jarry Park, pinch-hitting in a loss to the Expos two days before being traded to the New York Mets.
The park also gave Montreal fans their first look at future Hall of Famers Gary Carter and Andre Dawson, both of whom broke into the majors as Expos during the Jarry Park years. The stadium’s single largest crowd came on September 15, 1973, when 34,331 fans — well beyond the park’s listed capacity — packed in for a game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Life in a “Temporary” Ballpark
Jarry Park was always meant to be a stopgap, expected to hold the Expos for no more than four seasons while a permanent stadium was built. Construction delays pushed that timeline to eight years. The park had almost no weather protection — the only covered seating was the press box — which made early-April and late-September games in Montreal’s climate a frequent test of endurance for players and fans alike.
Montreal’s successful bid to host the 1976 Summer Olympics finally produced a permanent facility: Olympic Stadium. The Expos played their last game at Jarry Park on September 26, 1976, then moved into Olympic Stadium for the 1977 season, ending the Jarry Park chapter after roughly 7.5 million cumulative fans had passed through its gates.
From Ballpark to Tennis Temple: Jarry Park Today
After the Expos left, the diamond sat largely dormant before Tennis Canada began converting the site starting around 1980, with the tournament’s original court built near the old backstop. The venue was renamed Pope John Paul II Stadium in 1984, then Du Maurier Stadium in 1987, followed by Uniprix Stadium in 2004, and finally IGA Stadium (Stade IGA) in 2018 under a naming-rights deal with the grocery chain.
Today’s IGA Stadium seats about 11,815 people at 285 Gary-Carter Street — a street named for the Expos catcher who once played on this very ground — and serves as centre court for the National Bank Open, one of the ATP and WTA tours’ premier annual events. No original Jarry Park grandstands remain, but the footprint of the old ballpark is still recognizable within the tennis complex.
Planning a Visit to Parc Jarry and IGA Stadium
Parc Jarry itself is open to the public year-round and free to explore, with baseball diamonds, soccer and cricket fields, public pools, a dog run, and a winter skating rink alongside the tennis complex — worth a walk-through for anyone tracing the site’s baseball roots. IGA Stadium’s grounds outside tournament weeks are generally accessible for public tennis play and walk-throughs, but access, hours, and any admission details can change seasonally.
IGA Stadium’s biggest draw is the National Bank Open, held each summer, which requires purchased tickets and follows tournament-specific gates and schedules rather than a typical daily box-office model. For current hours, ticket tiers, and tournament dates, check the official National Bank Open site, which manages IGA Stadium’s public-facing schedule and visitor information.
Jarry Park Stadium FAQs
When did the Montreal Expos play at Jarry Park Stadium?
The Expos played at Jarry Park from Opening Day, April 14, 1969, through September 26, 1976, before moving to Olympic Stadium for the 1977 season.
Why was Jarry Park Stadium significant for MLB?
It was the site of the first MLB regular-season game ever played outside the United States, as the expansion Expos hosted the St. Louis Cardinals on April 14, 1969, winning 8–7.
What was the story behind the swimming pool at Jarry Park?
A public pool sat just past the right-field fence. Pirates slugger Willie Stargell hit home runs into it in 1969 and 1972, and locals nicknamed it “La Piscine de Willie.” The Expos gave Stargell a life preserver when he retired in 1982.
How big was Jarry Park Stadium?
It grew from a 3,000-seat amateur field in 1960 to roughly 28,000 seats for its MLB years, with field dimensions of 340 feet down the lines, 368 feet to the power alleys, and 417 feet to center.
What is on the site of Jarry Park Stadium today?
The site is now IGA Stadium (Stade IGA), an 11,815-seat tennis venue at 285 Gary-Carter Street that hosts the National Bank Open. It sits inside the still-public Parc Jarry, which retains recreational fields and pools open to visitors.
Can you still visit the old Jarry Park ballpark site?
Yes — Parc Jarry remains a public park you can walk through anytime, and IGA Stadium’s grounds are generally open outside tournament dates, though no original 1969-era grandstands survive. Check the official National Bank Open site for current tournament access and hours.
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