25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

[Majingir]

On August 12 1994, the strike began which would lead to cancellation of the postseason and games missed in the 95 season as well.

Looking back on it now, what were peoples thoughts on everything(if you were following jt back then) or just thoughts on it from someone who might not have been a fan back then. And could we ever see anything like that again in baseball? Either games missed in regular season or possibly playoffs impacted?

[Majingir]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

I wasn't watching back then, but I did see the 04-05 NHL lockout which was horrible. And the shortened seasons for NHL and NBA the following decade. Thankfully MLB hasnt been hurt like that since, but I wonder if these next CBA negotiations could lead to big changes.


As for the 94 strike, Expos were biggest losers. Went from 1st place dynasty in the making to a team who went into major financial downhill spiral and relocated a decade later.

We also saw 2 HOFers in Jack Morris and Goose Gossage never play again after the strike. Same with 25 year vet Charlie Hough.

We were going to see the first ever WC format in baseball in 94 as well. Braves were looking like the NL WC team. Over in the AL, we were spared the season ending with every single non AL West team projected better than the divisions winner (16 non playoff teams in the league were on pace to finish with more wins).


Though it did give us the fun SCABs stuff where we had to edit these fake players on teams to get their real names since those guys were part of 95 ST. That indirectly led to me joining OS since I used a diff site for player edits like that, which led me to OS soon after.

[Caulfield]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

I try to look at the positives. In this case the strike put Air Jordan back in the NBA quicker. And it was one less World Series the Braves had to lose (in '94). Won it in '95.

[Blzer]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

I try to look at the positives. In this case the strike put Air Jordan back in the NBA quicker. And it was one less World Series the Braves had to lose (in '94). Won it in '95.

Heck, without the strike the Braves wouldn't have had fourteen consecutive division titles.

[LowerWolf]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

Heck, without the strike the Braves wouldn't have had fourteen consecutive division titles.

We don’t know that. It would have been tough to catch that Expos team. They were legit. But the Braves came from further back to catch a really good Giants team the year before.

[Blzer]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

We don’t know that. It would have been tough to catch that Expos team. They were legit. But the Braves came from further back to catch a really good Giants team the year before.

You're right, but then I get to have this comeback...

"We would have had FIFTEEN consecutive division titles!"

[countryboy]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

The '94 strike caused me for the first time ever in my life to have a feeling of "hate" for baseball. I remember telling friends in high school that I was done with baseball and wasn't going to ever watch again. Of course when the strike ended and play resumed, my love for the game far outweighed my "hate" and there I was watching.

[Mentch]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

We don’t know that. It would have been tough to catch that Expos team. They were legit. But the Braves came from further back to catch a really good Giants team the year before.

Ah yeah, the year the 103 win team missed the playoffs. I’ve always loved playoff baseball but for a long time it felt like it was too exclusive

[DoubleDeuce]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

I remember it somewhat vaguely - mostly I just remember pictures of the parties coming in and out of negotiating sessions and saying "there's no deal." I remember how mad people were when the World Series was cancelled. I was a teenager who had just started living in a dorm right when the strike began where nobody had TVs or were baseball fans so it really didn't affect me at the time.

[Majingir]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

Bumping this for the soon to be 30th anniversary.

June 1994 is when the league made all their proposals like a salary cap and eliminating arbitration which the players rejected believing that this would just lead to owners colluding and not bidding as much on guys leading to lower salaries all around.

Today is the anniversary of
https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/24/s...rust-bill.html

Which is one of the things which really set them on the path for a strike.

[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

I was one of those people back in '94 after the World Series was cancelled, I said I would never watch Major League baseball again. I held out all season until right before Ripken broke the consecutive games played streak. That brought me back more into the fold but I still attempted to withhold my love off and on for a couple more years. '98 Big Mac and Sosa chasing Maris finished me off an brought me all the way back for good. I just decided I would never again let whatever greedy actions or other despicables of men interfere with my love of the greatest game ever invented. There are still tons of people in baseball I don't care for, but I'm here for good now, not leaving again for any reason. MLB could play every game in unretractable domes on pink plastic grass with aluminium bats and designated hitters for all nine defensive position, I'll watch whatever trainwreck comes our way.

[DrJones]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

I grew up about an hour outside of Vancouver. My family lived exactly midway between two towns, and were just outside the cable zone of each, so I never had TSN (which showed the majority of Blue Jays games, some Expos games, plus a lot of NHL, etc., etc.) throughout high school - it sucked. However, I was home from college one summer when I found out that we were FINALLY getting cable - I could watch the Blue Jays and my beloved Expos chase for division titles! Maybe they'd meet in the World Series!

The big day finally arrived - cable TV and endless baseball at last!
The day was August 11, 1994.

[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

Devastating.

Juniors best season, hands down. 40 bombs and he was hitting .323

Randy Johnson had already hit 200 Ks, and had pitched 4 shutouts.

Seattle was under .500, but only 3 games out of 1st, so this could have been their first playoff team.

.. a real longshot, but Matt Williams (43) and Junior (40) may have had a shot at Maris.

[DrJones]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

Devastating.

Juniors best season, hands down. 40 bombs and he was hitting .323

Randy Johnson had already hit 200 Ks, and had pitched 4 shutouts.

Seattle was under .500, but only 3 games out of 1st, so this could have been their first playoff team.

.. a real longshot, but Matt Williams (43) and Junior (40) may have had a shot at Maris.

Don't forget Tony Gwynn hitting .394!

[Majingir]

Re: 25th Anniversary of the 94 Strike

I'm sure things would've evened out, but only 10 teams were above .500 in 94? Guess it makes sense because no team was under .400 either.