New World Order

Clearly risking fan revolt, Major League Baseball's owners vote 32 years ago today to split the National and American leagues into three divisions with a wild card round for the playoffs.

The owners want the new format to start in 1994 – when there actually is a fan revolt after the same owners, led by interim-commissioner-for-life Bud Selig, cancel the playoffs and World Series as the players go out on strike.

Eventually, the extra playoff round begins in 1995 and quickly becomes – baseball purists be damned – one of the better moves ever made by the owners and Selig.

Looking for more to read? More than 2,600 archived posts may be found at Blog 3 — Baseball (and other cool stuff) … Enjoy!