Flashback #19: MLB Strike (1994)

As of 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary on January 3rd, the station has begun to reveal (in chronological order) the Top 100 Chicago Sports Stories that have occurred since they first went on the air 20 years ago. Once all 100 of these "flashbacks" have been revealed, fans will be able to vote for which stories they believe are the most significant in the 20 year history of The Score. To see all of the Flashbacks that The Score has posted so far, please visit 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary page.

August 12, 1994 - MLB Strike

After months of negotiations between players and owners, the two parties were still miles apart on reaching a new labor deal.

As financial situations among some small-market teams continued to worsen, the owners collectively proposed a salary cap to their players. Ownership claimed that small-market clubs would fall behind unless teams agreed to share local broadcasting revenues and enact a salary cap -- a proposal the players strongly opposed.

The disagreement ultimately led to a 232-day strike, which lasted from Aug. 12, 1994, to April 2, 1995, and led to the cancellation of 931 games regular-season games. The entire 1994 postseason was also lost in the strike.

Commissioner Bud Selig was determined to play the 1995 season, so replacement players were selected if an agreement could not be reached in time.

According to reports, on March 29, the players voted to return to work if a U.S. District Court judge supported the National Labor Relations Board's unfair labor practices complaint against the owners. By a vote of 26–2, owners supported the use of replacement players.

Luckily, the strike ended when future Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a preliminary injunction against the owners on March 31. On April 2, 1995, the day before the season was scheduled to start, the 232-day strike was officially ended. Judge Sotomayor's decision received support from a panel of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which denied the owners' request to overturn the ruling.

The Score will continue to release a new Flashback each weekday until they reach 100. Check back tomorrow for a new one, or check out all of the previous Flashbacks: 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary »