In 1869 , the Cincinnati Red Stockings , baseball ’s first professional squad , were crown national champions after they run around through the entire season undefeated . Since then the state has every year feted a professional baseball champion . That strand came to a rude end in the 1994 baseball season .
At midnight on August 12 , both major conference shut down when the players union refuse to consent a salary capital purport by the proprietor . Blocking a compromise small town was the continued absence seizure of a commissioner to intermediate between the two parties .
Commenting on the strike , White Sox star Frank Thomas said , " I ’ve had a career year , but I ’m not go to fetch up it . " Thomas ’s self - assessment was accurate . Though the White Sox played only 113 games , Thomas already had 101 RBI , 106 outpouring , 38 home runs , and 34 duplicate to go with his .353 BA . Other performing artist had equally imposing stats . In an truncated 115 - secret plan docket , San Francisco third sacker Matt Williams club 43 homers , just 18 short of Roger Maris ’s record of 61 .
Even more disappointing to devotee expecting a banner finish was the fact that several farseeing - slumbering teams had come alive in 1994 .
Prior to the season both major leagues had been split into three divisions , and an extra playoff tier was added . The new structure visit for five - team division in the East and the Central and a four - team section in the West .
The Braves and the Phillies , the two National League division winners in ' 93 , were both situated in the East . After Phillies first sacker John Kruk was sidelined to undergo cancer discussion , the Braves attend like a lock to bag their fourth square division treetop . But Expos skipper Felipe Alou , helped by his son Moises , take a young squad to the front early and seemed destined to concord the confidential information .
When the work stoppage hit , the Expos stood six games up on the Braves with the upright disc in the majors ( 74 - 40 ) . secondly only to the Expos were the New York Yankees , who paced the American League East by 6 - 1/2 games . absentminded from postseason play for 13 years , the Yankees were the antithesis of the base - grown Expos , as George Steinbrenner continue lurch the swap and free - factor market place .
Cleveland also profited in 1994 via the trade and destitute - agent route . Shedding their report for being one of the most ineptly run franchises , the Indians went for broke in alignment with the curtain raising of their new sports stadium .
Over the winter , Cleveland land pitcher Dennis Martinez and Jack Morris , first sacker Eddie Murray , and shortstop Omar Vizquel . The four merged with early trade attainment Sandy Alomar , Kenny Lofton , Carlos Baerga , and Mark Clark plus four draft award – Albert Belle , Manny Ramirez , Jim Thome , and Charles Nagy – to fetch Clevelanders their good team in eons .
For the first time since 1954 , Cleveland seemed probable to see postseason action . The Indians trail the White Sox by only one game in the American League Central at strike sentence and headed the inclination for the loop wild - card berth . Texas Rangers rooter were also ecstatic to see their club atop the American League West and possibly slate for the franchise ’s first - ever postseason engagement . The Seattle Mariners , another franchise that had never smack postseason activity , were a bare two games behind the Rangers when play stop .
At midnight on August 12 , nine American League teams and seven National League squad still had strong playoff Leslie Townes Hope , and many other star beside Frank Thomas and Matt Williams were love career years . But there would be no finishing to one of the potentially most remarkable seasons in the biz ’s history . In September , beer maker owner and playing commissioner Bud Selig acknowledged that the strike had deplumate an irreparable fix in the game ’s cloth when he officially announced that the 1994 time of year was deadened .
The next Sir Frederick Handley Page provides headlines and summaries of for some of the top stories of the 1994 baseball season .
To learn more about baseball, see:
1994 Baseball Season Headlines
In 1994 , actor like Tony Gwynn and Matt Williams had their potentially record - breaking seasons cut forgetful by the players strike . Here are some of the headline from the 1994 baseball game time of year :
Tribe Gets New Home
Cleveland unveiled beautiful Jacobs Field in 1994 . Named after proprietor Richard Jacobs , the Indians ' raw home was deliberately plan to look like an one-time - fourth dimension park , and for the first meter in 40 year the Tribe also had the look of old . A recurrent competitor prior to the mid-1950s , Cleveland was in the process of making its first serious waft bid since 1959 when the bang halted the Indians ' playoff hopes . Jacobs Field was an integral part of the rebirth the metropolis of Cleveland underwent in the mid-’90s and a contributing cistron to renewed fan interest in the Tribe .
Jeff Bagwell Bags 1994 National League MVP
Jeff Bagwell , whose left wrist was broken by a pitch on August 10 , had been hold the best twelvemonth of any major leaguer prior to the work stoppage and his injury . Bagwell had been mustering himself for a driving to become the National League ’s first ternary Crown winner since Ducky Medwick in 1937 . The Astros star had to content himself with the National League RBI title ( 116 ) and a .368 batting norm , 2nd in the National League .
Frank Thomas Wins American League MVP
Frank Thomas combine awesome world power , a high average , and first-class bang - zone judgement on his way to his 2nd straight American League MVP Award in 1994 . He had hoped to hoard a World Series backing ring as well . The Sox were locked in a smashed three - mode airstream with Cleveland and Kansas City for the top spot in the American League Central at strike time but counted on prevailing with the unspoilt pitching staff in the American League .
Paul O’Neill Bats .359 for NY
Thanks to the smash , Yankee Paul O’Neill became the first American Leaguer since Billy Goodman in 1950 to win a batting crown despite playing few than 100 game in the field . O’Neill was also the first player since Dale Alexander ( 1932 ) to pocket an American League bat title with few than 400 at - squash racquet . His .359 gull was the best in 40 old age by a Yankee .
David Cone Captures 1994 Cy Young
After leave the Major in full strikeout from 1990 through 1992 , David Cone decided to center on control and rely on his defense in 1994 . As a resultant , he took home his first Cy Young Award . Taking bidding of his once - fiery temper , Cone had streaks of eight straight wins and 29 consecutive scoreless innings in 1994 . He averaged seven hitting , seven strikeout , and less than three walks per nine inning . He was inaccessible on May 22 , when he tossed a one - hit skunk against the Angels .
Tony Gwynn’s Quest Cut Short
Were it not for the work stoppage in 1994 , Tony Gwynn of the Padres might have been the first National Leaguer since 1930 to bat .400 . rather , Gwynn ended the time of year hitting .394 . Matt Williams might also have become the first National Leaguer to score 60 base runs , and a host of other fourth-year loop disk might have toppled as well . Craig Biggio and Larry Walker ( 44 doubles each ) could have take exception Earl Webb ’s major - league record of 67 . Only Hack Wilson ’s record of 190 run batted in persist , as always , beyond ravishment .
John Valentin Turns Three
When he hit .316 in just his second full big - league time of year , Boston ’s John Valentin waken observers to the fact that he might one day be a gem . Valentin also display safe king , finish secondly on the Red Sox in slugging average . On July 8 , 1994 , Valentin became the second player in big - league history to perform an single-handed three-fold play and strike a home run in the same frame .
Matt Williams on Pace to Break HR Record
Matt Williams was a overweight favorite before the strike break to break the National League exclusive - season home running record of 56 . Whether he would also have broken Roger Maris ’s major league single - season mark we ’ll never know , as he hurt up with 43 dingers on the shortened yr . The strike - abbreviated season also contributed to Williams being the first National League player since 1973 to club 40 or more homers with few than 100 run batted in .
Check out more headlines from the 1994 baseball season on the next Sir Frederick Handley Page .
More 1994 Baseball Season Headlines
Below are more newspaper headline from the 1994 baseball time of year , including Greg Maddux winning his third Cy Young Award in a course and the retirement of Ryne Sandberg .
Raul Mondesi Monstrous in ‘94
The Dodgers uphold their phenomenal bar of grow National League ROTY winners . The belated , outfielder Raul Mondesi , hit .306 with 16 homers in 1993 . Mondesi ’s 42 game and 86 at - bats in 1992 would have excluded him from rookie status at one time . Shoeless Joe Jackson ’s .408 BA in his first full year , for good example , is not considered the greenhorn record because he had previously play 30 game in the majors .
Kenny Rogers Perfect in Nine
Pitcher Kenny Rogers hurled the first perfect plot in Rangers chronicle – and only the fourteenth in baseball game history – on July 28 , shutting down California at The Ballpark in Arlington . Rogers ’s perfecto was the highlight of both his and his team ’s otherwise rocky time of year . Despite wander up ten game below .500 , the Rangers were nonetheless poised for their first postseason appearance when the strike scud their hope .
Ken Griffey Sets M’s Records
Ken Griffey Jr. seemed destined for a super season in 1994 . After collecting 20 plate run in his first 42 games – equal Mickey Mantle ’s 1956 scratch line – he appear on the cover song ofSports Illustrateda single - time of year - record three time . A mid - year falling off follow by the bang held down Junior ’s numbers , but he still fix Mariners enfranchisement disk for home base runs ( 40 ) and slugging average ( .674 ) .
Winless John Hudek an All-Star
Rookie Astros relief ace John Hudek in 1994 became the first pitcher ever to be selected for an All Star Game before achieving his first major league win . Hudek finished the 1994 campaign still seek for his initial crowing - league victory but compile a order - high 16 save .
Bob Hamelin Cops American League ROTY
Kansas City fans called him the " Hammer . " Bob Hamelin earned that soubriquet by becoming the team ’s top batter as a 1994 rookie and cream .282 with 65 run batted in . The husky slogger carry off the American League Rookie of the Year loot on the basis of his 24 homers , but most seasoned baseball expert believe Cleveland outfielder Manny Ramirez was by far the most promising next-to-last electrical circuit frosh .
Greg Maddux Earns Third Consecutive Cy Young
Atlanta ’s Greg Maddux became the first hurler ever to win the Cy Young Award three old age in a row . Maddux was clearly the best pitcherful in either league . There was little motive to vote : Maddux led the league in ERA ( 1.56 ) , complete game ( ten ) , and innings monger ( 202 ) and tied for the leading in win ( 16 ) in the strike - shortened time of year .
Donald Fehr-Well to 1994 Season
Many observers conceive the strike put Players Association chief Donald Fehr in over his head . Even more people believe that , afford the mercurial mentality of the possessor Fehr was check against , even Disraeli would have been in over his principal .
Tiger Duo Still Turns Two
On September 9 , 1977 , Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker formed the Tigers keystone combo for the first time . They were still keystone mates in 1994 , shatter all record for longevity by a short / second - foundation teammate duet . Trammell ’s and Whitaker ’s endurance soft touch notwithstanding , the Tigers finished last in the American League East in 1994 – albeit with a better platter than Texas , the American League West leader when the strike shut down the time of year .
Ryne Sandberg Steps Down
Ryne Sandberg set baseball on its ear when he announce his retirement at a press conference on June 13 , claim he no longer felt he was earning his multimillion - dollar wage . Sandberg stepped down with the highest vocation fielding average in history by a 2nd baseman as well as 245 career nursing home runs , the most by any National League mediate infielder except Joe Morgan sinceWorld War II .
The next pageboy highlights key events and details from the 1994 baseball sesason .
1994 Baseball Season Highlights
During the 1994 baseball time of year , both major league exclude down when the actor union deny to accept a salary cap propose by the owners . actor like Frank Thomas and Matt Williams were enjoying career year before the strike hit , but there would be no finish to the yr . Below , you will find the highlighting from the 1994 baseball season :
For more highlight of the 1994 baseball season , see the next varlet .
More 1994 Baseball Season Highlights
See below for more highlights of the 1994 baseball season , including Bob Hamelin gain the American League ’s Rookie of the Year Award and Darryl Strawberry signing with the Giants .
