The 1994 Major League Baseball season began on April 3, but ended prematurely on August 11, 1994, with the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike. The season started despite the expiration of MLB's previous collective bargaining agreement at the end of 1993. It was the first season played under the current three-division format in each league. It was also the first with an Opening Night game involving two National League teams, which did not become permanent until 1996.
As a result of a players' strike, the MLB season ended prematurely on August 11, 1994. No postseason (including the World Series) was played. Over 260 players were scheduled to exceed $1 million in compensation in 1994.[2] The Minor League Baseball season was played in its entirety.
Under The Baseball Network's original plan, the All-Star Game would alternate between NBC in even-numbered years and ABC in odd-numbered years. After the All-Star Game was complete,[31] ABC took over coverage with what was to be their weekly slate of games under the Baseball Night in America banner.[32] ABC was scheduled to televise six[33] regular season games on Saturdays[34] or Mondays[35] in prime time. NBC[36][37] would then pick up where ABC left off by televising six more regular season Friday night[38][39][40] games. Every Baseball Night in America game was scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (or 8 p.m. Pacific Time if the game occurred on the West Coast[41]). A single starting time gave the networks the opportunity to broadcast one game and then, simultaneously, cut to another game when there was a break in action.
The networks had exclusive rights for the twelve regular season dates, in that no regional or national cable service (such as ESPN or superstations like Chicago's WGN-TV[42] or Atlanta's WTBS) or over-the-air[43] broadcaster was allowed[44] to telecast a Major League Baseball game on those dates. Baseball Night in America[45] (which premiered[46] on July 16, 1994) usually aired up to fourteen games[47] based on the viewers' region (affiliates chose games of local interest to carry) as opposed to a traditional coast-to-coast format.[48] Normally, announcers who represented each of the teams playing in the respective games were paired with each other. More specifically, on regional Saturday night broadcasts and all non-"national" broadcasts, TBN let the two lead announcers from the opposing teams call the games involving their teams together.
When the player's strike began on August 12, ABC had only aired games on four of its six scheduled dates,[52][53] while NBC's slate was supposed to begin on August 26.[54][55][56]
February 7 – Basketball superstar Michael Jordan signs a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He is invited to spring training with the team as a non-roster player.
February 25 – The Veterans Committee elects Phil Rizzuto and Leo Durocher to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
July 12 – Moisés Alou's walk-off double in the 10th inning gives the National League an 8–7 victory over the American League in the All-Star Game. The NL is now a perfect 9–0 in extra-inning contests. John Hudek of the Houston Astros becomes the first pitcher in major league history to appear in an All-Star Game before recording a major league victory. Fred McGriff, whose two-run home run in the 9th inning tied the score, takes MVP honors.
August 11 – The final games of the Major League season are played on this date. The next day, the players' strike begins. Minor League Baseball games are not affected.
September 14 – The remainder of the Major League season (along with the postseason) is canceled by acting commissioner Bud Selig after 34 days of the players' strike. There would be no World Series for the first time since 1904.
Movies
The following are baseball movies released in 1994:
January 8 – Harvey Haddix, 68, All-Star pitcher best remembered for a 1959 game with the Pirates in which he threw 12 perfect innings before losing in the 13th; won 20 games for 1953 Cardinals and earned three Gold Gloves. Member of 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates, who won the World Series.
January 9 – Johnny Temple, 66, All-Star second baseman, primarily for the Cincinnati Reds, who batted .300 three times
January 10 – Chub Feeney, 72, National League president from 1970 to 1986; previously an executive and broadcaster with the Giants
February 12 – Ray Dandridge, 80, Hall of Fame third baseman of the Negro leagues who often batted over .350
March 16 – Eric Show, 37, pitcher who won 100 games for the San Diego Padres and surrendered Pete Rose's record 4,192nd hit
May 9 – Ralph Brickner, 69, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in the 1950s
June 12 – Jim Brock, 57, coach at Arizona State since 1972 who led the Sun Devils to two College World Series titles (1977, 1981)
June 23 – Marv Throneberry, 62, first baseman for the Yankees, Orioles, Mets, and Kansas City A's
July 14 – César Tovar, 54, outfielder for the Minnesota Twins who in 1968 became the second major leaguer to play all nine positions in a game; had his team's only hit on five occasions
September 5 – Hank Aguirre, 63, All-Star pitcher who led AL in ERA in 1962 with the Detroit Tigers
December 26 – Allie Reynolds, 77, 6-time All-Star pitcher, mainly with the Yankees, who led AL in ERA in 1952 and in strikeouts and shutouts twice; in 1951 was first AL pitcher to throw two no-hitters in same year, and was MVP runner-up in 1952; career .630 winning percentage
References
^Due to the strike, NBC wasn't able to broadcast their slate of games for The Baseball Network, which was supposed to begin on August 26.
^"More tales of The Baseball Network". SIU Daily Egyptian. July 26, 1995. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2015. ABC lost the 1994 World Series; this was supposed to be NBC's year. Instead, they split the spoils. Who got the better of the deal? Let's see. The networks each get 6 percent of the advertising revenues; baseball gets 88 percent. Call it a draw.
