Claude Raymond (baseball)


Jean Claude Marc Raymond is a former pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Houston Colt.45's/Astros and Montreal Expos.
He was one of the few baseball players to wear glasses and as he came from the province of Quebec was nicknamed "Frenchy".

Playing career

Raymond pitched in three games for Chicago in early 1959. Although he was traded from the division-leading Atlanta Braves to the upstart Expos, Raymond remarked this was one of the happiest moments of his life as he was able to play for his home province.
In 12 seasons he compiled a 46–53 record, appeared in 449 games, started 7 games, recorded 2 complete games, 270 Games Finished, 83 Saves, 721 Innings Pitched, 711 Hits Allowed, 338 Runs Allowed, 293 Earned Runs Allowed, 75 Home Runs Allowed, 225 Walks Allowed, 497 Strikeouts, 28 Hit Batsmen, 32 Wild Pitches, 3,048 Batters Faced, 54 Intentional Walks, 4 Balks and a 3.66 ERA.

Post-playing career

After his playing career, Raymond worked as a French-language broadcaster with the Expos from 1972 to 2001.
During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Raymond was the public address announcer for baseball. This was because the International Olympic Committee specified that announcements at Olympic venues must also be made in French, which made Raymond, who had previously pitched in Atlanta, uniquely well-suited for the job.
He was also an Expos English-language broadcaster in 2004, their last season in Montreal.
Raymond joined the Expos staff as a roving coach in 2002 and served for until the team left Montreal after the 2004 campaign to become the Washington Nationals.

Honours and awards

Raymond was named to the 1966 National League All-Star Team. Raymond was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, in its second year of operation.
In June 2019 Raymond was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.