Headline events of the year As a result of a players' strike, the MLB season ended prematurely on August 11, 1994. No postseason (including the World Series) was played. Minor League Baseball was not affected. During the shortened Major League Baseball season, the league adorned uniforms and stadiums to announce the 125th anniversary of baseball's first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. The Yomiuri Giants also celebrated their sixtieth anniversary with their eighteenth championship in the Japan Series.
Considered by some to be among history's greatest athletes, Michael Jordan suited up for the Birmingham Barons, the Class AA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. He played in his first game on April 9, going 0-for-3.
Champions
Nippon Professional Baseball Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Seibu Lions (4-2). Series Most Valuable Player: Hiromi Makihara Series Fighting Spirit Award: Kazuhiro Kiyohara
Minor League Baseball – AAA Leagues American Association: Indianapolis Indians International League: Richmond Braves Mexican League: Mexico City Red Devils Pacific Coast League: Albuquerque Dukes
Other champions Baseball World Cup: Cuba Caribbean World Series: Tigres del Licey (Dominican Republic) College World Series: Oklahoma Cuban National Series: Villa Clara over Industriales Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Seibu Lions (4-2) Korean Series: LG Twins over Pacific Dolphins Big League World Series: Taipei, Taiwan Junior League World Series: Thousand Oaks, California Little League World Series: Coquivacoa, Maracaibo, Venezuela Senior League World Series: Brandon, Florida Taiwan Series: Brother Elephants
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame Steve Carlton Leo Durocher Phil Rizzuto Most Valuable Player Frank Thomas (AL) Chicago White Sox Jeff Bagwell (NL) Houston Astros Cy Young Award David Cone (AL) Kansas City Royals Greg Maddux (NL) Atlanta Braves Rookie of the Year Bob Hamelin (AL) Kansas City Royals Raúl Mondesí (NL) Los Angeles Dodgers Manager of the Year Award Buck Showalter (AL) New York Yankees Felipe Alou (NL) Montreal Expos Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Naomi Silver, Rochester Red Wings, International League Gold Glove Award Don Mattingly (1B) (AL) Roberto Alomar (2B) (AL) Wade Boggs (3B) (AL) Omar Vizquel (SS) (AL) Ken Griffey Jr. (OF) (AL) Kenny Lofton (OF) (AL) Devon White (OF) (AL) Iván Rodríguez (C) (AL) Mark Langston (P) (AL) Jeff Bagwell (1B) (NL) Craig Biggio (2B) (NL) Matt Williams (3B) (NL) Barry Larkin (SS) (NL) Barry Bonds (OF) (NL) Marquis Grissom (OF) (NL) Darren Lewis (OF) (NL) Tom Pagnozzi (C) (NL) Greg Maddux (P) (NL)
Statistical leaders American League National League Type Name Stat Name Stat AVG Paul O'Neill NYY .359 Tony Gwynn SD .394 HR Ken Griffey Jr. SEA 40 Matt Williams SF 43 RBI Kirby Puckett MIN 112 Jeff Bagwell HOU 116 Wins Jimmy Key NYY 17 Ken Hill MONGreg Maddux ATL 16 ERA Steve Ontiveros OAK 2.65 Greg Maddux ATL 1.56 Ks Randy Johnson SEA 204 Andy Benes SD 189
Major League Baseball final standings
American League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB East Division 1st New York Yankees 70 43 .619 -- 2nd Baltimore Orioles 63 49 .562 6.5 3rd Toronto Blue Jays 55 60 .478 16.0 4th Boston Red Sox 54 61 .470 17.0 5th Detroit Tigers 53 62 .461 18.0 Central Division 1st Chicago White Sox 67 46 .593 -- 2nd Cleveland Indians 66 47 .584 1.0 3rd Kansas City Royals 64 51 .557 4.0 4th Minnesota Twins 53 60 .469 14.0 5th Milwaukee Brewers 53 62 .461 15.0 West Division 1st Texas Rangers 52 62 .456 -- 2nd Oakland Athletics 51 63 .447 1.0 3rd Seattle Mariners 49 63 .438 2.0 4th California Angels 47 68 .409 5.5
National League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB East Division 1st Montreal Expos 74 40 .649 -- 2nd Atlanta Braves 68 46 .596 6.0 3rd New York Mets 55 58 .487 18.5 4th Philadelphia Phillies 54 61 .470 20.5 5th Florida Marlins 51 64 .443 23.5 Central Division 1st Cincinnati Reds 66 48 .579 -- 2nd Houston Astros 66 49 .574 0.5 3rd Pittsburgh Pirates 53 61 .465 13.0 3rd St. Louis Cardinals 53 61 .465 13.0 5th Chicago Cubs 49 64 .434 16.5 West Division 1st Los Angeles Dodgers 58 56 .509 -- 2nd San Francisco Giants 55 60 .478 3.5 3rd Colorado Rockies 53 64 .453 6.5 4th San Diego Padres 47 70 .402 12.5
On September 14, the remainder of the major league season was cancelled by acting commissioner Bud Selig after 34 days of the players' strike.
American League Team Manager CommentsBaltimore Orioles Johnny OatesBoston Red SoxButch Hobson California Angels Buck RodgersReplaced during the season by Marcel LachemannChicago White SoxGene Lamont Cleveland Indians Mike Hargrove Detroit Tigers Sparky Anderson Kansas City Royals Hal McRae Milwaukee BrewersPhil GarnerMinnesota Twins Tom Kelly New York Yankees Buck Showalter Was awarded the 1995 All-Star Game managerial role as unofficial league champions.Oakland Athletics Tony La Russa Seattle Mariners Lou Piniella Texas Rangers Kevin KennedyToronto Blue Jays Cito Gaston
National League Team Manager CommentsAtlanta Braves Bobby CoxChicago Cubs Tom TrebelhornCincinnati Reds Davey JohnsonColorado Rockies Don BaylorFlorida Marlins Rene Lachemann Houston Astros Terry CollinsLos Angeles Dodgers Tommy LasordaMontreal Expos Felipe AlouWas awarded the 1995 All-Star Game managerial role as unofficial league champions.New York Mets Dallas GreenPhiladelphia PhilliesJim FregosiPittsburgh PiratesJim LeylandSt. Louis Cardinals Joe Torre San Diego Padres Jim RigglemanSan Francisco Giants Dusty Baker
Events
January January 12 – Steve Carlton is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, receiving almost 96% of the vote. Orlando Cepeda falls seven votes short of the 75% required for election.
February 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 invitee. February 15 – Ila Borders becomes the first woman to pitch in a college game. Appearing for Southern California College of Cosa Mesa, Borders throws a five-hit, 12–1 victory against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. February 25 – The Veterans Committee elects Phil Rizzuto and Leo Durocher to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
March
April April 3 – The Cincinnati Reds host an opening night game on Easter Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals. It is the first time in Major League history that a season opens with a night game instead of a day game. Only 32,803 attend the game, which is criticized by many Reds fans at the time as breaking tradition. April 4 – At Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs outfielder Tuffy Rhodes blasts three home runs on Opening Day, victimizing New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden. Rhodes becomes the first player in Major League history to hit home runs in his first three at-bats of the season. In spite of Rhodes' unexpected home run barrage, the Cubs lose the game, 12–8. April 8 – Kent Mercker of the Atlanta Braves pitches a 6–0 no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, striking out 10 in the process. For Mercker, it is his first complete game in the Major Leagues. In the first half of the ninth inning, Chan Ho Park comes on to pitch for the Dodgers, becoming the first Korean player to appear in a Major League game.Box Score of Kent Mercker No Hitter Baseball Almanac. Retrieved on May 18, 2015. It is still the Braves most recent no-hitter as of 2022. April 27 – In a first for the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Scott Erickson of the Minnesota Twins no-hits the Milwaukee Brewers 6–0.
May
June June 13 – Ryne Sandberg announces his first retirement from the Chicago Cubs; he would return for two more seasons in 1996.
July July 8 – In a game against the Seattle Mariners, shortstop John Valentin of the Boston Red Sox records the tenth unassisted triple play in Major League history. It is the first unassisted triple play for a player in the American League since 1968, which is also the last time it is accomplished by a shortstop. Boston wins, 4–3. In addition, it is the debut game for Alex Rodriguez in the Major Leagues. July 12 – Moisés Alou's 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 victory in the regular season. Fred McGriff, whose two-run home run in the ninth inning ties the score, takes MVP honors. July 14 – Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals records his 8,017th assist, breaking Luis Aparicio's MLB record for shortstops. July 18 – Trailing 11–0 to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Houston Astros come back to win 15–12 in Houston. July 19 – Two hours before the Seattle Mariners are scheduled to play the Baltimore Orioles, four tiles fall from the ceiling of the Kingdome, causing that night's game to be canceled and forcing the Mariners to play their final 20 games of the season on the road before the season is cut short by the players' strike. July 28: The Major League Baseball Players Association executive board sets August 12 as a strike date. Kenny Rogers of the Texas Rangers throws the fourteenth perfect game in Major League history against the California Angels.
August August 5 – Atlanta Braves first baseman Fred McGriff hit his 30th home run of the season in the Braves' 16–6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, making him only the 9th player in Major League Baseball history to hit 30 or more homers in seven consecutive seasons. August 11: The final games of the Major League Baseball season are played on this date. The next day, the players' strike begins. Minor League Baseball games are not affected. The Colorado Rockies unknowingly play their last game at Mile High Stadium, losing 13–0 to the Atlanta Braves. Greg Maddux throws a 3-hit shutout for Atlanta.
September September 14 – The owners of the Major League clubs vote 26–2 to officially cancel the remainder of the 1994 season, including the playoffs and World Series. There is no World Series for the first time since 1904. September 20 – The Albuquerque Dukes end the professional baseball season in the United States, winning the Pacific Coast League championship.
October October 18 – Buck Showalter of the New York Yankees was named American League Manager of the Year. October 22 – The Japan Series begins as baseball's professional championship. Reporters from major American newspapers arrive in Japan for their Fall Classic coverage. Ken Harrelson, the play-by-play announcer for the Chicago White Sox, calls the Japan Series for US audiences on regional sports networks under the Prime SportsChannel banner. October 26 – Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox repeated as American League MVP as he got 24 of the 28 first-place votes. October 27 – Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros unanimously wins the National League MVP Award after getting all 28 first-place votes, becoming only the fourth unanimous MVP winner in NL history, and the first Astros player to win the award in franchise history. October 29 – The Yomiuri Giants win Game 6 of the Japan Series to become professional baseball's World Champions. Legend says this is the luckiest of all championship years, as it is the team's sixtieth anniversary, as they are deemed world champions by some baseball media.
November November 4 – Free agent pitcher Dwight Gooden is suspended for the entire 1995 season after testing positive for cocaine while already serving a 60-day suspension for a previous positive cocaine test.
December December 27 – The Chiba Lotte Marines announce they have signed major league players Julio Franco, Pete Incaviglia and Eric Hillman to contracts, and named Bobby Valentine as their manager, making Valentine the first American born manager in professional baseball in Japan.
Movies Angels in the Outfield