1994 World Series: Difference between revisions

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The 1994 World Series was canceled on September 14 of that year due to an ongoing strike by the Major League Baseball Players Association, which had begun on August 12. It was only the second time in the event's history (and the first time since 1904) that the Fall Classic was not played.

Overview

When compared to other crises and disasters

Many baseball fans lamented that while two World Wars, a Great Depression, an earthquake (1989), and other crises and disasters could not cancel a World Series, financial issues and greed by some could and did.

Impact on the Montréal Expos

The Montréal Expos of the National League, at 74-40, and the New York Yankees of the American League, at 70-43, held the best records in their leagues at season's end. The Montréal Expos could have tried to win the third consecutive World Series for a Canadian team after the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. An All-Canadian World Series featuring the Expos and the Blue Jays would have been very unlikely, with the defending champion Blue Jays slumping to a third place finish and a 55-60 record at the cancellation of the season, 16 games behind the Yankees.

Some, such as the then-majority owner of the Expos, Claude Brochu, in his book My Turn at Bat, blamed the strike for the ultimate demise and relocation of the Montréal Expos. Several sports publications have speculated Montreal would have won the Series^[1]^[2] had it been played. The team was forced to trade many of its players to deal with the loss of revenue following the strike, and never again reached the same level of success it had in 1994. After the 2004 season, the team moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals.

Impact on the New York Yankees

The New York Yankees had the best record in the American League and the team's captain, Don Mattingly, could have been in the postseason for the first time during his 13-year career. The Yankees were last in the postseason in 1981, the last time there was a significant players' strike. Not only did the strike end Mattingly's best hopes for a postseason, it also ended any hopes that he would win a World Series. The Yankees last won a World Series in 1978. Mattingly had more at bats than any other active player without a postseason at bat. As he was suffering from a bad back, the bad back, coupled with the strike, meant the end of Don Mattingly's playing career.

The strike also led to the demise of Buck Showalter as manager of the Yankees. He cited that the strike left him "helpless" and it "hurt more than any."^[3] On the tenth anniversary of the strike, he said that it was a "pity."^[4] However, the Yankees' dynasty of the 1990's began in 1996, but it may not have happened if it had not been for the strike.^[5]

When the Yankees dynasty began, the team, like baseball itself, was still reeling from the strike and the lost opportunities from 1994.

Three-tier playoff system

This was to have been the first year of a regularly scheduled three-tier playoff system, as the NL and AL were divided into three divisions (East, Central, and West) at the start of the 1994 season. (An unscheduled three-tier system was used in 1981 due to the season being shortened by a mid-season labor dispute.) The new playoff system (involving a wild card team in each league) did not go into effect until the 1995 postseason.

Atlanta Braves' run of division titles

Because division champions from 1994 are unofficial, the Atlanta Braves are officially credited with winning 14 consecutive division titles from 1991 to 2005, winning the NL West in the final three years of the two-division system and then winning 11 consecutive NL East titles from 1995-2005. However, at the time of the season's cancellation, the Braves were in second place in the NL East at 68-46, six games behind the Montréal Expos. The 11 titles from 1995-2005 would nonetheless be an MLB record, and the Braves had a 2½-game lead over the Houston Astros for the NL wild card at the time of the season's cancellation. However, had the unplayed remainder of the 1994 season seen the Braves miss the playoffs, the Major League record for consecutive playoff appearances would now belong to the New York Yankees who had 13 straight postseason appearances from 1995 to 2007.

Impact of labor unions

Some political scientists believed the strike led to Democratic Party losses in the ensuing Congressional election because of a negative image of labor unions, historically strong supporters of the Democratic Party, caused by this strike. ^{[citation needed]}

Computer simulations

The rise of computer simulation software for the sport led to numerous simulations of what the championship would have become, and the unfinished season led to a rise in such simulations, popular in comparing players of different ages, to determine what would have happened (1) if the season had finished to the end, or (2) if the two unofficial league champions played for the title.

"Unofficial" champions

The Associated Press writers, at the end of the aborted season, chose to name "unofficial" champions when naming their Managers of the Year as Felipe Alou and Buck Showalter, who were leading when the season abruptly ended. Traditionally, the next season's All-Star Game managers are the league champions. Because of the strike, the leagues chose to name their unofficial champion managers to the traditional honor.

Television coverage

Had the 1994 World Series been played out, it would have aired on ABC. Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver and Lesley Visser would have, in all likelihood, served as the commentators. The 1994 season marked the first year of what would have been a six-year-long joint venture with Major League Baseball, ABC, and NBC called "The Baseball Network." In even-numbered years, ABC would cover the Division Series and World Series, while NBC would cover the All-Star Game and League Championship Series. Likewise, in odd-numbered years, NBC would cover the Division Series and World Series, while ABC would cover the All-Star Game and LCS. However, following the 1995 World Series, the parties involved dissolved the network, and starting in 1996, FOX and NBC held over-the-air rights.

Effect on home field advantage rotation

The 1994 World Series was supposed to have the NL champion open at home. Because it was canceled, the rotation was pushed back a year - which meant from 1995-2002, the NL champion had home field advantage in odd-numbered years, and AL in even-numbered years. Beginning in 2003, the league that won the All-Star Game had its champion open the World Series at home (as a consequence, since the AL has not lost the All-Star Game since 1996, the NL champ last opened at home in 2001).

This change in the rotation, denied the 1995 AL champions Cleveland Indians a chance to open the World Series at home for the first time ever (they opened previous appearances on the road), and have yet to do so (they were one win away from finally doing so in 2007 as the AL won the All-Star Game that year, but blew a 3 games to 1 lead against the Boston Red Sox).

References

^ "Revisionist Baseball - 1994 World Series Results". Revisionist Baseball. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |quotes= ignored (help)
^ "What If 1994 Was Played Out?". What if Sports?. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |quotes= ignored (help)
^ Curry, Jack (August 26, 2002). "Lost Games, Lost Dreams". The New York Times. p. D1.
^ Costello, Brian (August 8, 2004). "'94 YANKS CUT SHORT". New York Post. p. 58.
^ Amore, Dom (May 15, 2005). "IMAGINE: BUCK'S YANKEES, BUT NOT JETER'S". The Hartford Courant. p. E8.

External links

[1] "Revisionist Baseball - 1994 World Series Results". Revisionist Baseball. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |quotes= ignored (help)

[2] "What If 1994 Was Played Out?". What if Sports?. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |quotes= ignored (help)

[Strike-3] Curry, Jack (August 26, 2002). "Lost Games, Lost Dreams". The New York Times. p. D1.

[NewYorkPost-4] Costello, Brian (August 8, 2004). "'94 YANKS CUT SHORT". New York Post. p. 58.

[WorldSeries-5] Amore, Dom (May 15, 2005). "IMAGINE: BUCK'S YANKEES, BUT NOT JETER'S". The Hartford Courant. p. E8.

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 ===Television coverage===
-Had the 1994 World Series been played out, it would have aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. [[Al Michaels]], [[Jim Palmer]] and [[Tim McCarver]] would have, in all likelihood, served as the commentators. [[1994 Major League Baseball season|The 1994 season]] marked the first year of what would have been a six-year-long [[joint venture]] with Major League Baseball, ABC, and [[NBC]] called "[[The Baseball Network]]." In even-numbered years, [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]] would cover the [[Division Series]] and World Series, while [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]] would cover the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] and [[League Championship Series]]. Likewise, in odd-numbered years, NBC would cover the Division Series and World Series, while ABC would cover the All-Star Game and LCS. However, following the [[1995 World Series]], the parties involved dissolved the network, and starting in {{by|1996}}, [[Major League Baseball on FOX|FOX]] and NBC held over-the-air rights.
+Had the 1994 World Series been played out, it would have aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. [[Al Michaels]], [[Jim Palmer]], [[Tim McCarver]] and [[Lesley Visser]] would have, in all likelihood, served as the commentators. [[1994 Major League Baseball season|The 1994 season]] marked the first year of what would have been a six-year-long [[joint venture]] with Major League Baseball, ABC, and [[NBC]] called "[[The Baseball Network]]." In even-numbered years, [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]] would cover the [[Division Series]] and World Series, while [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]] would cover the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] and [[League Championship Series]]. Likewise, in odd-numbered years, NBC would cover the Division Series and World Series, while ABC would cover the All-Star Game and LCS. However, following the [[1995 World Series]], the parties involved dissolved the network, and starting in {{by|1996}}, [[Major League Baseball on FOX|FOX]] and NBC held over-the-air rights.
 ===Effect on home field advantage rotation===