On August 12th, 1994, The Major League Players Union went on strike for the sport’s eighth work stoppage since 1972.

In August of 1994, I had a one-year-old daughter and another on the way. And since it was summer, I had baseball to watch. The Twins were struggling but everything in my life was good.

And then one day, there was no baseball.

My wife Sue will tell you that I can hold a grudge like nobody’s business. I held a grudge against The Game for many years. Many years.

Obviously as readers of ClimbingSky know, I eventually came back to The Game. But it took a long time. Like a lot of fans, I felt betrayed.

For many, baseball is a place of comfort and escape. This can manifest in various ways, from the simple enjoyment of watching a game to the deeper, more personal connections fans form with the sport. The game’s predictability, the camaraderie of being a fan, and the focus required to follow the action can all offer a temporary reprieve from the rest of our lives. 

In 1994, Greed took all that away. But then again, isn’t that as much a part of the American Experience as Baseball. The wealthy do not care about us. They only want more money. Baseball owners, like all Capitalists, are willing to destroy anything to add to their coffers.

In 1994, it was baseball they were willing to try and destroy. In 2025, it is democracy.