{{Short description | Minor league baseball team in Watertown, South Dakota}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox Minor League Baseball | name =Watertown Expos | firstseason =1970 | lastseason =1971 | allyears = | city =Watertown, South Dakota | logo = | uniformlogo = | class level =Class A-Short Season (1971–1972) | league =Northern League (1971–1972) | majorleague =Montreal Expos (1971–1972) | nickname ='''Watertown Expos''' (1971–1972) | ballpark =Watertown Stadium (1971–1972) | classnum = | classchamps = | leaguenum =0 | leaguechamps =None | confnum = | conferencechamps = | divnum = | divisionchamps = | wildcardnum = | wildcardberths = }}

The '''Watertown Expos''' were an American professional minor league baseball team that existed from 1970 to 1971 in Watertown, South Dakota, playing two seasons in the Northern League at historic Watertown Stadium.

The Watertown Expos were a minor league affiliate of the Montreal Expos in both their seasons of play.

==History==

The Expos were preceded by the Watertown Cubs, who played as members of the Class D level Dakota League in 1921 and 1922 and South Dakota League in 1923; and also by the '''Watertown Lake Sox''', who played in the collegiate summer Basin League from 1954 to 1962.

The Watertown Expos previously played as the Winnipeg Goldeyes in 1969, but were purchased and moved by the Montreal Expos to Watertown when Montreal moved their AAA affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, to Winnipeg.<ref>{{cite news |title=Watertown To Replace Winnipeg |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-duluth-news-tribune-watertown-to-rep/179957193/ |access-date=17 December 2025 |work=The Duluth News Tribune |date=8 June 1970 |page=8}}</ref> Watertown's first game as members of the Class A level Northern League came only two weeks after the team was established there.<ref name="FunWhileItLasted">{{cite web |title=Watertown Expos |url=https://funwhileitlasted.net/2020/05/09/1970-1971-watertown-expos/ |website=FunWhileItLasted.net |access-date=17 December 2025}}</ref>

The Watertown Expos were minor league affiliates of the Montreal Expos and adopted the corresponding moniker. When the Northern League folded after the 1971 season, the four remaining teams were the Aberdeen Pheasants, Sioux Falls Packers, St. Cloud Rox, and Watertown Expos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?code=NORL&class=Ind|title = Northern League (Independent) Encyclopedia and History}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=Watertown, South Dakota Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

The Watertown Expos finished in 4th place in both their seasons of play. In 1970, the team ended the season with a record of 32–38, finishing 16.5 games behind the 1st place Duluth-Superior Dukes, playing under manager Bobby Malkmus in the six–team league. In 1971, Watertown ended the 1971 season with a 30–40 record under manager Bob Oldis. In their final season of play, Watertown finished 12.0 games behind the 1st place St. Cloud Rox in the four–team league.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1971 Watertown Expos Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1970 Watertown Expos Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=32bf155c|title=1971 Northern League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=3946cb17|title=1970 Northern League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref name="encyc">{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor1-first=Lloyd |editor1-last=Johnson |editor2-first=Miles |editor2-last=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=Baseball America |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}</ref>

Watertown, South Dakota has not hosted another minor league team.<ref name="auto"/>

==The ballpark== The Watertown minor league teams were noted to have played home games at Watertown Stadium. The ballpark is located at 1600 West Kemp Avenue, Watertown, South Dakota. Still in use today, the ballpark, constructed in 1940, is on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalballparks.com/Northern/WaterSD.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060212002436/http://www.digitalballparks.com/Northern/WaterSD.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 12, 2006|title = Watertown Stadium - Watertown South Dakota - Former Home of the Watertown Expos}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-07-05 |title=National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/00000721_text |website=National Park Service |publisher=United States Department of the Interior}}</ref>thumb|right|Watertown Stadium, May 2017 thumb|right|Watertown Stadium stands and field, May 2017

==Timeline== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" ! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League !!Affiliate |- | 1921–1922|| 2 || rowspan=2|Watertown Cubs|| rowspan=2| Class D || Dakota League||rowspan=3|None |- | 1923 || 1 || South Dakota League |- | 1954–1962|| 9 || Watertown Lake Sox|| Summer collegiate baseball || Basin League |- | 1971–1972|| 2 || Watertown Expos|| Class A Short Season || Northern League||Montreal Expos |- |}

==Year–by–year records== {| class="wikitable" |- style="background: #F2F2F2;" ! Year !! Record !! Finish !! Manager !! Playoffs |- align=center | 1970 || 32–38 || 4th || Bobby Malkmus || None held |- align=center | 1971 || 30–40 || 4th || Bob Oldis || None held |- align=center |}

==Notable alumni== {{Div col|colwidth=25em}} *Don Hopkins (1971) *Larry Lintz (1971) *Bobby Malkmus (1970, MGR) *Dale Murray (1970) *Bob Oldis (1971, MGR) *Pat Scanlon (1970) *Tony Scott (1970) *Dan Warthen (1971) {{Div col end}}

===See also=== Watertown Expos players

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Watertown&state=SD&country=US Baseball Reference]

Category:Watertown, South Dakota Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams Category:Defunct baseball teams in South Dakota Category:Baseball teams established in 1970 Category:Northern League (1902-71) baseball teams Category:1970 establishments in South Dakota Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1971 Category:Montreal Expos minor league affiliates Category:1971 disestablishments in South Dakota Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1971 Category:Professional baseball teams in South Dakota