1970-1979
Regardless of the color that came in the 1970s, baseball’s first player strike tainted the start of the decade. The walkout not only delayed the 1972 season by 13 days, but came at the cost of 86 games.
To the world outside of baseball, a ballplayer’s union, much less a serious strike, seemed strange. Fans believed playing in the major leagues was a privilege, rather than a profession. Although ballplayers made several attempts to unionize, nothing stuck until the 1972.
Restless with their salary and union inactivity, the Major League Baseball Players Association hired Marvin Miller in 1966. With his experience in the steelworker’s union and as a labor official for the JFK Administration, his hiring put owners throughout baseball on edge. During the first few years in charge, Miller tackled smaller issues before dealing with the larger issues, until they could not longer go unaddressed.
With the 1972 season on the horizon, the players demanded that the owners raise their salaries, threatening to walkout. In response, the owners felt confident the players would never jeopardize their careers with a serious strike. However, to the shock of the owners, and even Miller, 47 of the 48 player reps voted to strike a week before Opening Day. Without paychecks or strike funds, the ballplayers outlasted the owners and games resumed on April 13.
Because of the strike, salaries rose 400% by 1980. The largest contract, which reached $150,000, in 1970 became the average salary by the end of the decade.
Mr. October
The strike forced owners to revaluate how to acquire the top talents in the major leagues. For Charles Finely, his refusal to adapt cost the Oakland Athletics their rising dynasty. Meanwhile, George Steinbrenner bought the New York Yankees the best team money could buy. Incidentally, both postseason superpowers centered around the same player, Reggie Jackson.
During his ten seasons with in Oakland, the Athletics won three consecutive World Series championships from 1972-1974. Although he did not compete in the 1972 World Series, Jackson became the World Series MVP the following year. He batted .310 against the New York Mets with one home run, six RBIs and scored three runs. Jackson won one more championship in Oakland before Finley traded his star rightfielder to the Baltimore Orioles. After a disappointing season in Baltimore, the Yankees scooped Jackson up as a free agent in 1977.
When Jackson arrived in New York, the Yankees had not reached the World Series since 1964. Hungry for a championship, the Yankees battled their way to the 1977 World Series, where Jackson smashed his way to postseason immortality. After the Los Angeles Dodgers won Game 5, the Yankees extinguished their attempted comeback in Game 6.
En route to their 8-4 victory, Jackson went 3-3 with four runs, five RBIs, earning the World Series MVP award. More importantly, Jackson sent the first pitch of his first three at bats out of the park. By doing so, he became the first ballplayer to hit three homers in one World Series game and Mr. October.