The 1995 season is magical for many ways, but none of it was possible without opening day
It’s April 25th, 1995. The Los Angeles Dodgers are visiting the Florida Marlins for an MLB opening day unlike any other. While the Marlins have stormed back, forcing this game to come down to the final at bat, the moment is bigger than what a single pitch could represent.
Two World Wars didn’t cancel MLB’s World Series, but in 1994, a labor dispute between owners and players over a potential salary cap killed the Fall Classic – and a pretty compelling season. With the entire future of the pro game in limbo, Congress, the President, and a whole bunch of lawyers tried to find a deal in time to save the 1995 season.
If it isn’t obvious by the parties involved, it took a lot for baseball to happen. But once the season officially begins, the cyclical nature of sports will eventually erase the meaningfulness of this one moment from our minds. So to remember why this pitch matters, we need to rewind.
