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land for a new downtown ballpark near the old Union Station terminal are acquired by the H.S.A

ByTom

1997 – The last parcels of land for a new downtown ballpark near the old Union Station terminal are acquired by the H.S.A. The largest sale is from a man named Billy Marlin. Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum (HOK) are already on board with a stadium design and Brown and Root will serve as project managers for stadium construction. In other news, the Astros sign outfielder Dave Clark to a free agent contract. Clark bats .206 in 93 games during one disappointing season in Houston. 

1997 – Tim Johnson is hired as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. He succeeds Cito Gaston, who was fired in September after having led the Blue Jays to World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. Johnson, a former bench coach with the Expos and Red Sox, managed the Triple-A Iowa Cubs in 1997, and beat out three others for the job: Buck Martinez, Larry Bowa, and American League Manager of the Year Davey Johnson, who interviewed in Toronto after leaving the Orioles.

ByTom

1997 – Tim Johnson is hired as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. He succeeds Cito Gaston, who was fired in September after having led the Blue Jays to World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. Johnson, a former bench coach with the Expos and Red Sox, managed the Triple-A Iowa Cubs in 1997, and beat out three others for the job: Buck Martinez, Larry Bowa, and American League Manager of the Year Davey Johnson, who interviewed in Toronto after leaving the Orioles.