1992 World Series

Lore & Background

The Blue Jays won the American League East Division title for the second consecutive season and third time in four years. They faced the winners of the West Division, the Oakland Athletics, in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). The A's were looking to advance to the World Series for the fourth time in five years, having previously been in the World Series in 1988, 1989, and 1990, winning it in 1989. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, were looking to become the first Canadian team to win a pennant. The Blue Jays lost the first game at home but then won the next three to take a commanding lead, eventually closing the series out at home in Game 6. This marked the first time a Toronto-based team had appeared in the championship round of either one of the four major North American leagues since the 1967 Stanley Cup Final. The Braves won the National League West Division for the second straight season and earned another matchup with the three-time defending East Division winners, the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the National League Championship Series (NLCS). The Braves won three of the first four games in the series, but the Pirates won the next two and were leading in the bottom of the ninth in Game 7 before the Braves rallied, capped off by a single by seldom-used pinch hitter Francisco Cabrera that drove in two runs and won the series.

In Their Own Story

The air inside SkyDome was thick with humidity and anticipation as the seventh inning approached on that crisp October night. On the mound, Tom Henke adjusted his cap, eyes locked on the batter's box, knowing one mistake could erase a decade of dreams. The crowd fell silent as he wound up; the crack of the bat echoed like a gunshot, followed by an eruption of cheers that seemed to shake the very foundations of the stadium. In that suspended second, time stopped for Toronto, and history was written in blue and white.

Reader's Guide

Game 1: Braves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's postseason career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS against Pittsburgh. Entering Game 1, Glavine's career post-season record was 1–5 despite two starts where he had pitched well and only given up one earned run each time. Glavine was 0–2 in those starts. In addition to Glavine's struggles in the postseason, the Braves would be facing their nemesis from the previous postseason. Before the 1992 season, the Blue Jays signed the MVP of the 1991 World Series, Jack Morris. The Braves were more than familiar with Morris' work, as he had defeated them twice in three starts and only allowed three runs. One of the victories came in the decisive seventh game, where Morris pitched a ten-inning complete game shutout. Morris' results in 1992, however, were quite the opposite. Despite leading the Blue Jays with 21 wins in the regular season, Morris had not performed well in the postseason. He lost one of his two starts in the 1992 ALCS despite throwing a complete game and took a no-decision in his other start giving up five runs. Toronto's other big offensive acquisition had been veteran Dave Winfield, who entered his 20th season in 1992 having yet to win a World Series ring. Winfield, primarily the team's designated hitter, paid dividends by recording his best batting average and runs batted in numbers in several years and hit two home runs in the ALCS. His presence in the lineup was one that manager Cito Gaston wanted to keep, which forced some maneuvering of the lineup for the games to be played in Atlanta under National League rules; Winfield's natural position was right field, which was manned by All-Star Joe Carter during the season. Therefore, for Game 1, Winfield was inserted into Carter's place in the outfield. Carter, in turn, played first base in place of normal starter John Olerud. Both teams had early scoring opportunities but could not cash in on them. In the bottom of the first inning, Braves center fielder and lead off hitter Otis Nixon singled and stole second. After Jeff Blauser tried and failed to advance him on a bunt, Nixon reached third on a groundout by Terry Pendleton. Morris, however, struck out David Justice to end the inning. Toronto responded in the next half inning with Winfield rea

Did You Know?

• The 1992 World Series was the first World Series won by a team based outside the United States.
• The 1992 World Series was the first World Series in which games were played outside the United States.
• The 1992 World Series was the first to have games played in a stadium with a retractable roof, Toronto's SkyDome.
• The Blue Jays remain the only Canadian team to have appeared in, and won, a World Series.