Year In Review : 1993 American League

Off the field...

On February 26, 1993 more than 1,000 lb. of explosives shook the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York leaving six people dead and over one thousand injured. The incident marked the first time in modern history that a terrorist attack was launched on American soil. Unfortunately, it would not be the last.

After an unsuccessful raid by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on David Koresh's Branch Davidian compound at Waco, Texas, the FBI and U.S. Army took over, mounting a fifty-one day siege. The standoff ended in tragedy when a fire broke out as government agents attempted to storm the compound. In the end, all seventy four cult members inside perished.

An attempt by a U.S. Special Forces team (including Delta Force and Army Rangers) to abduct two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord in Mogadishu, Somalia resulted in the downing of two Black Hawk helicopters and the longest sustained firefight involving American troops since the Vietnam War. The following morning, eighteen Americans were dead and more than seventy were badly injured.

In the American League...

Carlos Baerga became the first switch-hitter in Major League history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning as the Cleveland Indians topped the New York Yankees 15-5.

Kansas City's Greg Gagne belted the 10,000th hit in the history of Detroit's Tiger Stadium, making it the first ballpark to reach that figure. The Royals went on to defeat the home team 12-6.

Carlton Fisk, then with the Chicago White Sox, played in his 2,226 and final Major League game, surpassing Bob Boone's record for the most games caught. Following the historical outing, Fisk reluctantly retired with 3,999 total bases, the most ever for a catcher.

In the National League...

The Pittsburgh Pirate's Tim Wakefield set the record for the most pitches thrown in a single game in the 1990s. The Bucco's knuckler tossed one-hundred seventy-two en route to a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. The last pitcher to match Wakefield was the Los Angeles Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela in 1987.

On July 7th, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies went head-to-head in a twenty-inning marathon that lasted six hours and ten minutes. The grueling contest finally ended after Lenny Dykstra hit a clutch, bases-loaded two-run double off Rod Nichols for the 7-6 finale.

The San Diego Padres appointed a twenty-nine year-old named Randy Smith as their new Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, making him the youngest General Manager in the history of Major League Baseball.

Around the league...

The Reverend Jesse Jackson accused baseball owners of discrimination practices and threatened to start a selective boycott unless a plan to hire more minorities for front-office jobs was in place by April 5.

Marge Schott, the Cincinnati Reds owner, was fined $25,000 by the commissioner's office and banned for an entire season after several complaints were filed accusing her of using of ethnic and racial slurs.

George Steinbrenner was finally able to resume his role as general partner of the New York Yankees after a suspension from baseball due to questionable dealings with renowned gambler Howard Spira.

In an effort to broaden both leagues and expand post-season opportunities, a vote was cast to divide both the American and National into three divisions and add another round of playoffs featuring two additional wild-card teams.