TODAY-IN-BASEBALL TAKES US BACK TO FEBRUARY 25, 1973, NEW YORK, NY.
Maybe major league baseball players and owners learned their lesson. There were eight work stoppages from 1972 to 1995, a span of 23 years. There have been none since – a span of 25 years.
It could be because the last work stoppage, which started in 1994, almost destroyed the game. It wiped out the entire post season, including the World Series.
Players and owners alike knew fans were becoming disenchanted, or worse, indifferent, to the annual spring labor rituals.
There was good news on this date in 1973. The players’ union and team owners announced a new three-year agreement ending a lockout by the owners at the start of spring training. The ‘73 agreement instituted what has become as common as the hit & run – arbitration. After so many years in the league a player who couldn’t agree on a salary with his team could take the issue to arbitration.
Everyone was relieved with the ’73 agreement. Players and owners alike knew fans were becoming disenchanted, or worse, indifferent, to the annual spring labor rituals. Besides 1972 and 1973, there were work stoppages in 1980, 1981, 1985, 1990 and the devastating strike in 1994-95. Since 1995 – harmony. Knock on wood.
Contributing sources:
Herschel Nissenson, Associated Press (AP), The Gettysburg Times, February 26, 1973
“Pro Sports Lockouts and Strikes Fast Facts,” CNN, May 30, 2016
