1994 baseball strike
Encyclopedia
The 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike was the eighth work stoppage
in baseball
history, as well as the fourth in-season work stoppage in 22 years. The 232-day strike, which lasted from August 12, 1994, to April 2, 1995, led to the cancellation of between 931 and 948 games overall, including the entire 1994 postseason
and World Series
(these numbers account for the fact that postseason series can be of varying lengths; in addition, 12 other games scheduled to be played prior to August 12, 1994 were canceled for other reasons, mainly weather-related). The cancellation of the 1994 World Series was the first since 1904
; meanwhile, Major League Baseball
became the first professional sport to lose its entire postseason due to a labor dispute.
to their players. Ownership claimed that small-market clubs would fall by the wayside unless teams agreed to share local broadcasting revenues (to increase equity amongst the teams) and enact a salary cap, a proposal that the players adamantly opposed. On January 18, 1994, the owners approved a new revenue-sharing plan keyed to a salary cap, which required the players’ approval. The following day, the owners amended the Major League agreement by giving complete power to the commissioner on labor negotiations.
The dispute was played out with a backdrop of years of hostility and mistrust between the two sides. What arguably stood in the way of a compromise settlement was the absence of an official commissioner
ever since the owners forced Fay Vincent
to resign in September . Vincent described the situation this way:
Owner representative Richard Ravitch
officially unveiled the ownership proposal on June 14, 1994. The proposal would guarantee a record $1 billion in salary and benefits. But the ownership proposal also would have forced clubs to fit their payrolls into a more evenly based structure. Salary arbitration
would have been eliminated, free agency
would begin after four years rather than six, and owners would have retained the right to keep a four or five year player by matching his best offer. Owners claimed that their proposal would raise average salaries from $1.2 million in to $2.6 million by .
Major League Baseball Players Association
leader Donald Fehr rejected the offer from the owners on July 18. Fehr believed that a salary cap was simply a way for owners to clean up their own disparity problems with no benefit to the players.
On July 13, 1993, Fehr said that if serious negotiations between the players and the owners did not begin soon, the players could have gone out on strike in September of that year, threatening the postseason. On December 31, 1993, Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement ran out with no new agreement yet signed.
legislation by a vote of 10–7. According to Donald Fehr, the action left the players with little choice but to strike. "We felt in '94 we were pushed into it," said Donald Fehr, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. "I still think that's a justified conclusion."
On August 31, three-and-a-half hours of negotiations with federal mediators produced no progress in the strike, and no further talks were scheduled as the strike went into its 4th week. According to then-acting commissioner
Bud Selig
, September 9 was the tentative deadline for canceling the rest of the season if no agreement was reached between the owners and players. The MLBPA offered a counterproposal to ownership on September 8 calling for a two-percent tax on the 16 franchises with the highest payrolls to be divided among the other 12 clubs. Teams in both leagues would share 25% of all gate receipts under the MLBPA's plan. The owners responded by claiming that the measures wouldn't meet the cost.
The rest of the season, including the World Series
, was called off by Bud Selig on September 14. Selig acknowledged that the strike had torn an irreparable hole in the game's fabric. The move to cancel the rest of the season meant the loss of $580 million in ownership revenue and $230 million in player salaries. In 1994, the average MLB salary was an estimated $1.2 million.
' best season in their history was interrupted by the strike. They had the best record in baseball, 74–40, and were six games ahead of the Atlanta Braves
in the NL East
despite having the second-lowest payroll in MLB. Most baseball writers were considering the Expos
as major World Series contenders. Coincidentally, the only time that the Expos
actually made it to the postseason was in , the last time that there was a significant players' strike in Major League Baseball.
Chicago White Sox
star Frank Thomas
, who wound up winning the American League
's Most Valuable Player Award
in 1994, said "I've had a career year, but I'm not going to finish it." Tony Gwynn
had a chance to be the first to finish a season over .400 since Ted Williams
, as he was batting .394 at the time of the strike. The strike also cost Matt Williams of the San Francisco Giants
a chance to beat Roger Maris
' single season home run record. When the strike forced the cancellation of the remaining 47 games of the season, Williams had already hit 43 home runs, on pace to match Maris' single season record of 61 home runs. Cleveland Indians
second baseman Carlos Baerga
was unable to extend his record two-year streak of 20 home runs, 200 hits, and 100 RBI by a second baseman because of the strike. Seattle Mariners
star Ken Griffey, Jr.
, who led the American League with 40 home runs at the time of the strike summed it up best by saying, "We picked a bad season, to have a good year." Kevin Mitchell
of the Cincinnati Reds
, Julio Franco
of the Chicago White Sox, and Shane Mack
of the Minnesota Twins, all .325 hitters in 1994, opted during the strike to play in Japan in 1995.
New York Yankees
captain Don Mattingly
lost his best hopes to be in the postseason for the first time during his 13-year career. The Yankees, who had the best record in the American League, were last in the postseason in 1981
, when they lost the World Series
to the Los Angeles Dodgers
. Because the Yankees were last in a postseason in a season interrupted by strike, the news media was quick to make parallels between the two Yankee teams, (1981 and 1994) which included both Yankee teams having division leads taken away by strike.
One of the few positive notes was that fans were spared from witnessing one of the worst division races in history. The Texas Rangers
were leading the newly reformed American League West
despite being 10 games under .500. The last-place California Angels
were only games out despite having the second-worst record in the majors at 21 games under .500 — on pace for 96 losses. In fact, the two last place teams in the other American League divisions (namely, the Detroit Tigers
of the AL East Division and Milwaukee Brewers
of the AL Central Division) had better records than the Rangers.
By the third day of the strike, Cleveland Indians owner Richard Jacobs directed that all souvenirs being sold at the Indians' gift shop carrying the words "inaugural season at Jacobs Field
" be sold at half price.
The strike also led to an absurdity: Minnesota traded Dave Winfield
to the Cleveland Indians
for a player to be named later
before the season was officially canceled, so no player was named. To settle the deal, the executives of the teams went to dinner, and Cleveland picked up the tab, meaning Winfield had been dealt for dinner.
would step down as negotiator for the owners on December 31, 1994. Ravitch instead resigned on December 6, 1994. On December 14, labor talks headed by federal mediator Bill Usery broke down. The next day, the owners approved a salary cap plan by a vote of 25–3, but agreed to delay implementing it so that another round of talks with the players could be held. On December 23, with negotiations at a standstill, the owners unilaterally implemented a salary cap.
Thomas Roberts awarded 11 players a total of almost $10 million as a result of collusion
charges brought against the owners. On January 26, both players and owners were ordered by President
Bill Clinton
to resume bargaining and reach an agreement by February 6. Unfortunately, President Clinton's deadline came and went with no resolution of the strike. Just five days earlier, the owners agreed to revoke the salary cap and return to the old agreement.
pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd
) were reportedly guaranteed $
5,000 for reporting to spring training and another $5,000 if they made the Opening Day roster. Declared Selig, "We are committed to playing the 1995 season and will do so with the best players willing to play."
Baltimore Orioles
owner Peter Angelos
, on the other hand, announced that his team wouldn't use replacement players (due in no small part to the fact that Cal Ripken, Jr.
was going for Lou Gehrig
's consecutive games record, but mainly due to Angelos' career as a union side attorney). On March 20, Angelos' Orioles canceled the remainder of their spring training games because of the team's refusal to use replacement players. The next day, the Maryland House of Delegates
approved legislation to bar teams playing at Camden Yards
from using replacement players.
On March 26, the MLB announced that the 1995 season would be reduced from 162 games per team to 144 games per team as a result of the use of replacement players.
In addition to Peter Angelos' problems, Detroit Tigers
manager Sparky Anderson
was put on an involuntary leave of absence as he refused to manage replacement players. Two days after Anderson's punishment, the Toronto Blue Jays
assigned manager Cito Gaston
and his coaching staff to work with minor league players so that they wouldn't have to deal with replacement players. On March 14, the players' union announced that it would not settle the strike if replacement players were used in regular season games, and if results were not voided. On March 28, the Ontario Labour Board announced that replacement umpires would not be allowed to work Blue Jays home games. Under the Ontario
labor law then in force, replacement workers were not permitted to be used during a strike or lockout. The Blue Jays opted to play their home games at their Spring Training facility in Dunedin
, Florida
as long as replacement players were used.
judge supported the National Labor Relations Board
's unfair labor practices complaint against the owners (which was filed on March 27). By a vote of 26–2, owners supported the use of replacement players. The strike ended when future Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor
issued a preliminary injunction against the owners on March 31. On Sunday, April 2, 1995, the day before the season was scheduled to start, the 232 day long strike was finally over. Judge Sotomayor's decision received support from a panel of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
, which denied the owners' request to stay the ruling.
. The regular officials continued to be locked out until May 3.
, the fans showed that they were angry and declared the strike as an act of war. Attendance at the games plummeted, as did television ratings, as was the case during the last significant players strike. Prior to Friday, August 12, 1994, a total of 50,010,016 fans had attended the 1,600 MLB regular-season games played from Sunday, April 3 to Thursday, August 11, for an average of 31,256 per game. In the 2,017 games of the 1995 MLB regular season, only 50,469,236 fans showed up, for an average attendance of just 25,022 per game. This decrease represented a decline in attendance of nearly 20% from 1994 to 1995.
However, fans who showed up demonstrated their anger and frustration. The meager crowds at the openers often booed at the players for their rusty fundamentals, shoddy defense, and in response to frequent high-scoring contests. The strike was seen as the worst work stoppage in sports history and it left the game, the fans, and the sports world shaken, angry, outraged, sickened, and frightened to their core.
Among the examples:
On August 3, 1995, the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a bill calling for the partial repeal of baseball's antitrust exemption
to the full Senate
. The vote was just 9–8. On August 9, George Nicolau, baseball's impartial arbitrator since , was fired by Major League owners.
On September 29, 1995, a three-judge panel in New York voted unanimously to uphold the injunction that brought the end to the strike in April 1995. The owners had appealed the injunction issued last March 31, but the panel said the Players Relations Committee had illegally attempted to eliminate free agency
and salary arbitration
.
In , , , , and , certain players who were part of the World Series-winning New York Yankees
, Arizona Diamondbacks
, Anaheim Angels and Boston Red Sox
were not permitted to have their names or likenesses on commemorative merchandise because they had been declared replacement players for having participated in the 1995 spring training. The players who were noted are Shane Spencer
of the 1998
, 1999
and 2000 New York Yankees
, Damian Miller
of the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks
, Brendan Donnelly
of the 2002 Anaheim Angels
and Kevin Millar
of the 2004 Boston Red Sox
.
The names or likenesses of replacement players, since they are not permitted to join the MLBPA, may not be published in officially-licensed video and tabletop games. Many games nevertheless include them, with blank or fictional names and different appearances.
Arguably the largest impact was to the Montreal Expos
. Not only did their dream season (first in MLB, 6 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves
in NL East) end abruptly, they were forced to lower payroll even further because of losses due to the strike, and with the strike almost completely destroying its fan base, the Expos would never recover from the incident. Despite respectable performances in 1996
and 2003
, the team never came close to contending again; the team was purchased by Major League Baseball after the 2001 season
, and would become the focus of contraction rumors until the team was moved to Washington, D.C.
, to become the Washington Nationals
after the 2004 season
.
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
history, as well as the fourth in-season work stoppage in 22 years. The 232-day strike, which lasted from August 12, 1994, to April 2, 1995, led to the cancellation of between 931 and 948 games overall, including the entire 1994 postseason
Major League Baseball postseason
The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series...
and World Series
1994 World Series
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...
(these numbers account for the fact that postseason series can be of varying lengths; in addition, 12 other games scheduled to be played prior to August 12, 1994 were canceled for other reasons, mainly weather-related). The cancellation of the 1994 World Series was the first since 1904
1904 World Series
In 1904, there was no World Series between the champions of the two Major League Baseball leagues, the American League and the National League...
; meanwhile, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
became the first professional sport to lose its entire postseason due to a labor dispute.
Background
In response to a worsening financial situation in baseball, the owners of major league baseball teams collectively proposed a salary capSalary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
to their players. Ownership claimed that small-market clubs would fall by the wayside unless teams agreed to share local broadcasting revenues (to increase equity amongst the teams) and enact a salary cap, a proposal that the players adamantly opposed. On January 18, 1994, the owners approved a new revenue-sharing plan keyed to a salary cap, which required the players’ approval. The following day, the owners amended the Major League agreement by giving complete power to the commissioner on labor negotiations.
The dispute was played out with a backdrop of years of hostility and mistrust between the two sides. What arguably stood in the way of a compromise settlement was the absence of an official commissioner
Baseball Commissioner
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
ever since the owners forced Fay Vincent
Fay Vincent
Francis Thomas "Fay" Vincent, Jr. is a former entertainment lawyer and sports executive who served as the eighth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from September 13, 1989 to September 7, 1992.-Early life and career:...
to resign in September . Vincent described the situation this way:
"The Union basically doesn’t trust the Ownership because collusionOn February 11, 1994, the owners greatly reduced the commissioner's power to act in "the best interests of baseball."Baseball collusionBaseball collusion refers to owners working together to avoid competitive bidding for player services or players jointly negotiating with team owners....
was a $280 million theft by Bud SeligBud SeligAllan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
and Jerry ReinsdorfJerry ReinsdorfJerry M. Reinsdorf is a CPA, lawyer and an owner of the MLB's Chicago White Sox and the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the head of the White Sox and Bulls for over 20 years.He made his initial fortune in real...
of that money from the players. I mean, they rigged the signing of free agents. They got caught. They paid $280 million to the players. And I think that’s polluted labor relations in baseball ever since it happened. I think it’s the reason FehrDonald FehrDonald M. Fehr is the executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association. He previously served as the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1986-2009....
has no trust in Selig."
Owner representative Richard Ravitch
Richard Ravitch
Richard Ravitch is an American politician and businessman who served as the 75th Lieutenant Governor of New York from 2009 to 2010. He was appointed to the position in July 2009 by New York Governor David Paterson...
officially unveiled the ownership proposal on June 14, 1994. The proposal would guarantee a record $1 billion in salary and benefits. But the ownership proposal also would have forced clubs to fit their payrolls into a more evenly based structure. Salary arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
would have been eliminated, free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
would begin after four years rather than six, and owners would have retained the right to keep a four or five year player by matching his best offer. Owners claimed that their proposal would raise average salaries from $1.2 million in to $2.6 million by .
Major League Baseball Players Association
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
leader Donald Fehr rejected the offer from the owners on July 18. Fehr believed that a salary cap was simply a way for owners to clean up their own disparity problems with no benefit to the players.
On July 13, 1993, Fehr said that if serious negotiations between the players and the owners did not begin soon, the players could have gone out on strike in September of that year, threatening the postseason. On December 31, 1993, Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement ran out with no new agreement yet signed.
June
As negotiations continued to heat up, the owners decided to withhold $7.8 million that they were required to pay per previous agreement into the players' pension and benefit plans. The final straw came on June 23 when the Senate Judiciary Committee failed to approve an antitrustAntitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
legislation by a vote of 10–7. According to Donald Fehr, the action left the players with little choice but to strike. "We felt in '94 we were pushed into it," said Donald Fehr, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. "I still think that's a justified conclusion."
July–August
On July 26, the Players Association executive board set August 12, 1994 as a strike date. When that day came, the players went ahead with their threat to walk off the job.On August 31, three-and-a-half hours of negotiations with federal mediators produced no progress in the strike, and no further talks were scheduled as the strike went into its 4th week. According to then-acting commissioner
Baseball Commissioner
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
, September 9 was the tentative deadline for canceling the rest of the season if no agreement was reached between the owners and players. The MLBPA offered a counterproposal to ownership on September 8 calling for a two-percent tax on the 16 franchises with the highest payrolls to be divided among the other 12 clubs. Teams in both leagues would share 25% of all gate receipts under the MLBPA's plan. The owners responded by claiming that the measures wouldn't meet the cost.
The rest of the season, including the World Series
1994 World Series
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...
, was called off by Bud Selig on September 14. Selig acknowledged that the strike had torn an irreparable hole in the game's fabric. The move to cancel the rest of the season meant the loss of $580 million in ownership revenue and $230 million in player salaries. In 1994, the average MLB salary was an estimated $1.2 million.
Reaction
The Montreal Expos1994 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos finished the season with the best record in Major League Baseball. The Expos had 74 wins compared to 40 losses. The 1994 Major League Baseball strike forced an end to the season and any postseason aspirations that the franchise had...
' best season in their history was interrupted by the strike. They had the best record in baseball, 74–40, and were six games ahead of the Atlanta Braves
1994 Atlanta Braves season
-Offseason:*October 15, 1993: Jerry Willard was released by the Atlanta Braves.*October 25, 1993: Marvin Freeman was released by the Atlanta Braves.*November 18, 1993: Jarvis Brown was selected off waivers by the Atlanta Braves from the San Diego Padres....
in the NL East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
despite having the second-lowest payroll in MLB. Most baseball writers were considering the Expos
1994 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos finished the season with the best record in Major League Baseball. The Expos had 74 wins compared to 40 losses. The 1994 Major League Baseball strike forced an end to the season and any postseason aspirations that the franchise had...
as major World Series contenders. Coincidentally, the only time that the Expos
1981 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos made it to the postseason for the only time in franchise history. The season was separated into two halves due to the 1981 Major League Baseball strike.- Offseason :...
actually made it to the postseason was in , the last time that there was a significant players' strike in Major League Baseball.
Chicago White Sox
1994 Chicago White Sox season
The 1994 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 94th season in the major leagues, and their 95th season overall. They finished with a record 67-46, good enough for 1st place in the American League Central, 1 game ahead of the 2nd place Cleveland Indians....
star Frank Thomas
Frank Thomas (AL baseball player)
Frank Edward Thomas, Jr. , nicknamed "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman....
, who wound up winning the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
's Most Valuable Player Award
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
in 1994, said "I've had a career year, but I'm not going to finish it." Tony Gwynn
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
had a chance to be the first to finish a season over .400 since Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
, as he was batting .394 at the time of the strike. The strike also cost Matt Williams of the San Francisco Giants
1994 San Francisco Giants season
The 1994 San Francisco Giants season was the franchise's 112th season and 37th season in San Francisco. After winning 103 games in 1993, the Giants record dropped to 55-60 in a strike-shortened season...
a chance to beat Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
' single season home run record. When the strike forced the cancellation of the remaining 47 games of the season, Williams had already hit 43 home runs, on pace to match Maris' single season record of 61 home runs. Cleveland Indians
1994 Cleveland Indians season
-Offseason:* November 2, 1993: Heathcliff Slocumb was traded by the Indians to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ruben Amaro, Jr..* December 2, 1993: Dennis Martínez was signed as a free agent by the Indians....
second baseman Carlos Baerga
Carlos Baerga
Carlos Obed Baerga Ortiz is a former Major League Baseball player. After spending most of his career as a second baseman, he was used at various positions late in his career.-Cleveland Indians:...
was unable to extend his record two-year streak of 20 home runs, 200 hits, and 100 RBI by a second baseman because of the strike. Seattle Mariners
1994 Seattle Mariners season
The Seattle Mariners 1994 season was their 18th since the franchise creation, and ended the season finishing 3rd in the American League West, finishing with a record of 49-63...
star Ken Griffey, Jr.
Ken Griffey, Jr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
, who led the American League with 40 home runs at the time of the strike summed it up best by saying, "We picked a bad season, to have a good year." Kevin Mitchell
Kevin Mitchell (baseball player)
Kevin Darnell Mitchell is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder. He became widely known not only for his occasional brilliance on the field, but also for his unpredictable and sometimes volatile behavior off the field.-New York Mets:In Amazin, Peter Golenbock's oral history of the...
of the Cincinnati Reds
1994 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds' 1994 season consisted of the Cincinnati Reds attempting to win the National League Central.-Offseason:* November 2, 1993: Dan Wilson and Bobby Ayala were traded by the Reds to the Seattle Mariners for Bret Boone and Erik Hanson....
, Julio Franco
Julio Franco
Julio César Robles Franco is a former Major League Baseball infielder and designated hitter. In , Franco was the oldest active player in the major leagues at the age of 49....
of the Chicago White Sox, and Shane Mack
Shane Mack (baseball player)
Shane Lee Mack is a former left and center fielder in Major League Baseball.Mack played for Richard Gahr High School in Cerritos, California from 1978-1982. Upon graduation, he accepted an athletic scholarship to play for the UCLA Bruins baseball team where he starred from 1982-1984...
of the Minnesota Twins, all .325 hitters in 1994, opted during the strike to play in Japan in 1995.
New York Yankees
1994 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1994 season was the 92nd season for the Yankees. New York was managed by Buck Showalter and played at Yankee Stadium. The team finished with a record of 70-43 finishing games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, having the best record in the American League and the second-best...
captain Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
lost his best hopes to be in the postseason for the first time during his 13-year career. The Yankees, who had the best record in the American League, were last in the postseason in 1981
1981 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1981 season was the 79th season for the Yankees. In the ALCS, the Yankees swept the Oakland Athletics for their only pennant of the 1980s. However, they lost in the World Series in 6 games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. New York was managed by Gene Michael and Bob Lemon...
, when they lost the World Series
1981 World Series
The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...
to the Los Angeles Dodgers
1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers season got off to a strong start when rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as "Fernandomania." Fernando went on to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards.The season was divided into two...
. Because the Yankees were last in a postseason in a season interrupted by strike, the news media was quick to make parallels between the two Yankee teams, (1981 and 1994) which included both Yankee teams having division leads taken away by strike.
One of the few positive notes was that fans were spared from witnessing one of the worst division races in history. The Texas Rangers
1994 Texas Rangers season
The Texas Rangers season involved the Rangers finishing first in the American League West with a record of 52 wins and 62 losses. The season was cut short by the infamous 1994 player's strike.-Offseason:...
were leading the newly reformed American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
despite being 10 games under .500. The last-place California Angels
1994 California Angels season
The California Angels 1994 season involved the Angels finishing 4th in the American League west with a record of 47 wins and 68 losses. The season was cut short by the infamous 1994 player's strike.-Offseason:...
were only games out despite having the second-worst record in the majors at 21 games under .500 — on pace for 96 losses. In fact, the two last place teams in the other American League divisions (namely, the Detroit Tigers
1994 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers' 1994 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Offseason:* November 1, 1993: Eric Davis was signed as a free agent by the Tigers....
of the AL East Division and Milwaukee Brewers
1994 Milwaukee Brewers season
The Milwaukee Brewers' 1994 season involved the Brewers' finishing 5th in the American League Central with a record of 53 wins and 62 losses.-Offseason:* December 14, 1993: Tony Diggs was traded by the Brewers to the St...
of the AL Central Division) had better records than the Rangers.
By the third day of the strike, Cleveland Indians owner Richard Jacobs directed that all souvenirs being sold at the Indians' gift shop carrying the words "inaugural season at Jacobs Field
Jacobs Field
Progressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball and the American League. Along with Quicken Loans Arena, it is part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex...
" be sold at half price.
The strike also led to an absurdity: Minnesota traded Dave Winfield
Dave Winfield
David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
to the Cleveland Indians
1994 Cleveland Indians season
-Offseason:* November 2, 1993: Heathcliff Slocumb was traded by the Indians to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ruben Amaro, Jr..* December 2, 1993: Dennis Martínez was signed as a free agent by the Indians....
for a player to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
before the season was officially canceled, so no player was named. To settle the deal, the executives of the teams went to dinner, and Cleveland picked up the tab, meaning Winfield had been dealt for dinner.
December
On December 5, it was announced that Richard RavitchRichard Ravitch
Richard Ravitch is an American politician and businessman who served as the 75th Lieutenant Governor of New York from 2009 to 2010. He was appointed to the position in July 2009 by New York Governor David Paterson...
would step down as negotiator for the owners on December 31, 1994. Ravitch instead resigned on December 6, 1994. On December 14, labor talks headed by federal mediator Bill Usery broke down. The next day, the owners approved a salary cap plan by a vote of 25–3, but agreed to delay implementing it so that another round of talks with the players could be held. On December 23, with negotiations at a standstill, the owners unilaterally implemented a salary cap.
January 1995
On January 1, 1995, five bills aimed at ending the baseball strike were introduced into Congress. Four days later, Donald Fehr declared all 895 unsigned Major League players to be free agents in response to unilateral contract changes made by the owners. On January 10, arbitratorArbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
Thomas Roberts awarded 11 players a total of almost $10 million as a result of collusion
Collusion
Collusion is an agreement between two or more persons, sometimes illegal and therefore secretive, to limit open competition by deceiving, misleading, or defrauding others of their legal rights, or to obtain an objective forbidden by law typically by defrauding or gaining an unfair advantage...
charges brought against the owners. On January 26, both players and owners were ordered by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to resume bargaining and reach an agreement by February 6. Unfortunately, President Clinton's deadline came and went with no resolution of the strike. Just five days earlier, the owners agreed to revoke the salary cap and return to the old agreement.
Replacement players
After the deadlin passed with no compromises, the use of replacement players for spring training and regular season games was approved by baseball's executive council on January 13. Replacement players (among them, former Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
pitcher Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd
Oil Can Boyd
Dennis Ray "Oil Can" Boyd is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Boyd played for the Boston Red Sox , Montreal Expos , and Texas Rangers .He batted and threw right-handed....
) were reportedly guaranteed $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
5,000 for reporting to spring training and another $5,000 if they made the Opening Day roster. Declared Selig, "We are committed to playing the 1995 season and will do so with the best players willing to play."
Baltimore Orioles
1995 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 3rd in the American League East with a record of 71 wins and 73 losses.-Offseason:* November 18, 1994: Mark Lee was signed as a free agent by the Orioles....
owner Peter Angelos
Peter Angelos
Peter G. Angelos , is an American trial lawyer.Angelos is also the majority owner of the Baltimore Orioles, a baseball team in the American League East Division.-Career:...
, on the other hand, announced that his team wouldn't use replacement players (due in no small part to the fact that Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
was going for Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
's consecutive games record, but mainly due to Angelos' career as a union side attorney). On March 20, Angelos' Orioles canceled the remainder of their spring training games because of the team's refusal to use replacement players. The next day, the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
approved legislation to bar teams playing at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a Major League Baseball ballpark located in Baltimore, Maryland. Home field of the Baltimore Orioles, it is the first of the "retro" major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s, and remains one of the most highly praised. The park was...
from using replacement players.
On March 26, the MLB announced that the 1995 season would be reduced from 162 games per team to 144 games per team as a result of the use of replacement players.
In addition to Peter Angelos' problems, Detroit Tigers
1995 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers finished in fourth place in the American League Eastern Division with a record of 60–84 . They were outscored by their opponents 844 to 654. The Tigers drew 1,180,979 fans to Tiger Stadium in 1995, ranking 11th of the 14 teams in the American League.-Notable transactions:*April...
manager Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
was put on an involuntary leave of absence as he refused to manage replacement players. Two days after Anderson's punishment, the Toronto Blue Jays
1995 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing 5th in the American League East with a record of 56 wins and 88 losses.-Offseason:* October 11, 1994: Dave Righetti was released by the Blue Jays....
assigned manager Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston
Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves...
and his coaching staff to work with minor league players so that they wouldn't have to deal with replacement players. On March 14, the players' union announced that it would not settle the strike if replacement players were used in regular season games, and if results were not voided. On March 28, the Ontario Labour Board announced that replacement umpires would not be allowed to work Blue Jays home games. Under the Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
labor law then in force, replacement workers were not permitted to be used during a strike or lockout. The Blue Jays opted to play their home games at their Spring Training facility in Dunedin
Dunedin, Florida
Dunedin is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The population was 35,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
as long as replacement players were used.
Strike ends
On March 29, the players voted to return to work if a U.S. District CourtUnited States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
judge supported the National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
's unfair labor practices complaint against the owners (which was filed on March 27). By a vote of 26–2, owners supported the use of replacement players. The strike ended when future Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Maria Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 2009. Sotomayor is the Court's 111th justice, its first Hispanic justice, and its third female justice....
issued a preliminary injunction against the owners on March 31. On Sunday, April 2, 1995, the day before the season was scheduled to start, the 232 day long strike was finally over. Judge Sotomayor's decision received support from a panel of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals...
, which denied the owners' request to stay the ruling.
Consequences
The season, which was revised to 144 games instead of the normal 162 (a decision that was made on March 26), began on April 25 under the conditions of the expired contract despite the lack of a collective bargaining agreementCollective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
. The regular officials continued to be locked out until May 3.
Post-strike
On the first days of the 1995 season1995 Major League Baseball season
Due to the 1994 Major League Baseball strike which carried into the 1995 season, a shortened 144 game schedule commenced on April 25, when the Florida Marlins played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Regular season:...
, the fans showed that they were angry and declared the strike as an act of war. Attendance at the games plummeted, as did television ratings, as was the case during the last significant players strike. Prior to Friday, August 12, 1994, a total of 50,010,016 fans had attended the 1,600 MLB regular-season games played from Sunday, April 3 to Thursday, August 11, for an average of 31,256 per game. In the 2,017 games of the 1995 MLB regular season, only 50,469,236 fans showed up, for an average attendance of just 25,022 per game. This decrease represented a decline in attendance of nearly 20% from 1994 to 1995.
However, fans who showed up demonstrated their anger and frustration. The meager crowds at the openers often booed at the players for their rusty fundamentals, shoddy defense, and in response to frequent high-scoring contests. The strike was seen as the worst work stoppage in sports history and it left the game, the fans, and the sports world shaken, angry, outraged, sickened, and frightened to their core.
Among the examples:
- Three men, who were each wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the word "Greed," leaped onto the field at Shea StadiumShea StadiumWilliam A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
and tossed more than $150 in $1 bills at players. - In Cincinnati, one fan paid for a plane to fly over Riverfront Stadium that dragged a sign reading "Owners & Players: To hell with all of you!"
- Fans in PittsburghThree Rivers StadiumThree Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
disrupted the Opening Day game between the Montreal Expos1995 Montreal Expos season-Regular season:*June 3, 1995 - Pedro Martínez pitched 9 perfect innings against the San Diego Padres before giving up a hit in the 10th to notorious Expo-Killer Bip Roberts over the head of Tony Tarasco in center field...
and the Pittsburgh Pirates1995 Pittsburgh Pirates season-Offseason:*October 13, 1994: Jacob Brumfield was traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Danny Clyburn.*November 9, 1994: Dan Plesac was signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates....
by throwing various objects on the field, holding up the action for 17 minutes before being warned that the game would be declared a forfeit; however, they continued to boo afterwards. - While 50,245 fans showed up for the New York Yankees1995 New York Yankees seasonThe New York Yankees' 1995 season was the 93rd season for the Yankees, their 71st playing home games at Yankee Stadium. Managed by Buck Showalter, the team finished with a record of 79-65, seven games behind the Boston Red Sox. They won the first American League Wild Card...
' home opener, it was the smallest opening day crowd at Yankee Stadium since 19901990 New York Yankees seasonThe New York Yankees' 1990 season was the 88th season for the Yankees. The team finished in seventh place in the American League East with a record of 67-95, finishing 21 games behind the Boston Red Sox. It was the Yankees' first last-place finish in 24 years, and the first in the two-division era....
. There, fans loudly booed MLBPAMajor League Baseball Players AssociationThe Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
President Donald FehrDonald FehrDonald M. Fehr is the executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association. He previously served as the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1986-2009....
, who attended the game, and yelled "You ruined the game!" at him. A fan held up a sign saying "$HAME ON YOU!" - Ironically, the opening games were played with replacement umpires, the first time since that replacement umpires were used.
On August 3, 1995, the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a bill calling for the partial repeal of baseball's antitrust exemption
Federal Baseball Club v. National League
Federal Baseball Club v. National League, , is a case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Sherman Antitrust Act did not apply to Major League Baseball.-Background:...
to the full Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. The vote was just 9–8. On August 9, George Nicolau, baseball's impartial arbitrator since , was fired by Major League owners.
On September 29, 1995, a three-judge panel in New York voted unanimously to uphold the injunction that brought the end to the strike in April 1995. The owners had appealed the injunction issued last March 31, but the panel said the Players Relations Committee had illegally attempted to eliminate free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
and salary arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
.
In , , , , and , certain players who were part of the World Series-winning New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, Anaheim Angels and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
were not permitted to have their names or likenesses on commemorative merchandise because they had been declared replacement players for having participated in the 1995 spring training. The players who were noted are Shane Spencer
Shane Spencer
Michael Shane Spencer is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. In Major League Baseball, he played a total of 538 games for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and New York Mets, compiling 438 hits, 59 home runs, and 242 RBI...
of the 1998
1998 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1998 season was the 96th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a franchise record regular-season standing of 114-48, 22 games ahead of the second-place Boston Red Sox in the American League East...
, 1999
1999 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1999 season was the 97th season for the Bronx based professional baseball team. The team finished with a record of 98-64 finishing 4 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium...
and 2000 New York Yankees
1998 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1998 season was the 96th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a franchise record regular-season standing of 114-48, 22 games ahead of the second-place Boston Red Sox in the American League East...
, Damian Miller
Damian Miller
Damian Donald Miller is a former Major League Baseball catcher who last played for the Milwaukee Brewers.-High school years:...
of the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks
2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season
The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, in their fourth year of existence, looked to improve on their 2000 season. They had to contend in what was a strong National League West Division....
, Brendan Donnelly
Brendan Donnelly
Brendan Kevin Donnelly is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He bats and throws right-handed.-Career:Donnelly was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 27th round of the 1992 amateur draft...
of the 2002 Anaheim Angels
2002 Anaheim Angels season
The Anaheim Angels 2002 season was the franchise's 42nd, and it ended with the team's first American League pennant and World Series championship....
and Kevin Millar
Kevin Millar
Kevin Charles Millar is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current analyst for MLB Network and New England Sports Network. Millar played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he continues to reside in the off-season. Millar is the nephew of former...
of the 2004 Boston Red Sox
2004 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox 2004 season was the 103rd Major League Baseball season for the Boston Red Sox franchise. Managed under Terry Francona, the team finished with a 98–64 record...
.
The names or likenesses of replacement players, since they are not permitted to join the MLBPA, may not be published in officially-licensed video and tabletop games. Many games nevertheless include them, with blank or fictional names and different appearances.
Arguably the largest impact was to the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. Not only did their dream season (first in MLB, 6 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves
1994 Atlanta Braves season
-Offseason:*October 15, 1993: Jerry Willard was released by the Atlanta Braves.*October 25, 1993: Marvin Freeman was released by the Atlanta Braves.*November 18, 1993: Jarvis Brown was selected off waivers by the Atlanta Braves from the San Diego Padres....
in NL East) end abruptly, they were forced to lower payroll even further because of losses due to the strike, and with the strike almost completely destroying its fan base, the Expos would never recover from the incident. Despite respectable performances in 1996
1996 Montreal Expos season
-Offseason:*October 13, 1995: Butch Henry was selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox from the Montreal Expos.*December 1, 1995: Wally Whitehurst was signed as a Free Agent with the Montreal Expos....
and 2003
2003 Montreal Expos season
-Regular season:*June 24, 2003 - Brad Wilkerson hit for the cycle in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.*August 26, 2003 - The Expos rallied from being down 8-0 and 10-3 to claim a 14-10 win against the Philadelphia Phillies and be within two games of the National League Wild Card...
, the team never came close to contending again; the team was purchased by Major League Baseball after the 2001 season
2001 Montreal Expos season
-Offseason:*December 21, 2000: Tim Raines signed as a Free Agent with the Montreal Expos.*December 21, 2000: Curtis Pride was signed as a Free Agent with the Montreal Expos.-Regular season:...
, and would become the focus of contraction rumors until the team was moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, to become the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
after the 2004 season
2004 Montreal Expos season
In 2004, the Montreal Expos played their 36th and final season in Montreal. The team finished in fifth and last place in the National League East at 67-95, 29 games behind the Atlanta Braves...
.
External links
- BW Online: A Business Week article from June 27, 1994 about the possibility of a baseball strike and its economic impact on the involved parties.
- YouTube: An episode of the Charlie RoseCharlie Rose (talk show)Charlie Rose is an American television interview show, with Charlie Rose as executive producer, executive editor, and host. The show is syndicated...
show from August 1, 1994 devoted entirely to the looming possibility of a baseball strike. - CBC TV Archives: A news report from August 12, 1994 about the strike and its impact on the Montreal ExposMontreal ExposThe Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(with a prediction that the 1994 World Series1994 World SeriesThe 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...
would still be held). - Time.com: An article in TimeTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
from August 22, 1994 about the (then) ongoing strike. - USMayors.org: A report by the United States Conference of MayorsUnited States Conference of MayorsUnited States Conference of Mayors, sometimes referred to as the United States Council of Mayors, is the official non-partisan organization for cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The cities are each represented by their mayor or other chief elected official...
from August 1994 about the financial impact of the strike on cities with baseball teams. - CBC Radio Archives: A news report from September 14, 1994, covering MLB's announcement of the canceled postseason and its impact on the Montreal ExposMontreal ExposThe Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. - YouTube: An episode of the Charlie RoseCharlie Rose (talk show)Charlie Rose is an American television interview show, with Charlie Rose as executive producer, executive editor, and host. The show is syndicated...
show from September 14, 1994, in which guest Bob CostasBob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
discusses the cancellation of the postseason. - Baseball Almanac: "The Strike of 1994", a poem by Don Angel written in February 1995.
- BLS.gov: An article in Monthly Labor ReviewMonthly Labor ReviewThe Monthly Labor Review is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Issues often focus on a particular topic. Researchers outside of the BLS are welcome to submit articles.- History :...
from March 1997 by Paul Staudohar about the 1994 strike and its lingering problems for the league. - SportsIllustrated.CNN.com: A Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
article from August 26, 2002 about victims of the 1994 strike (written from the perspective of another possible strike in 20022002 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Anaheim Angels*Postseason - October 1 to October 27Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
). - Daily News: A New York Daily NewsNew York Daily NewsThe Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
article from December 10, 1998 about the impact of the 1994 strike on New York City's teams and fans. - Cincinnati.com: A Cincinnati Enquirer article from August 12, 2004 providing a brief overview of the 1994 strike and its impact on baseball history.
- USAToday.com: A USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
article from September 12, 2004 about baseball's recovery from the 1994 strike and the possibility for further conflict in the league. - Google Search (timeline)
- Baseball History – 1990 to 1999