Baseball Spoiled by Nature: Top 10 Moments
The natural world is sometimes too strong an opponent for baseball teams.
A new Major League Baseball season starts with opening day in April and ends in October or November with the World Series. Between those bookends, the 30 teams each play 162 regular-season games.
That's a lot of baseball.
That's also a lot of opportunity for Mother Nature to wreak havoc on America's pastime. With a new season upon us, we look back at the top ten moments when the natural world won.
1. Loma Prieta Earthquake
Game: World Series - Game 3 (San Francisco Giants vs. Oakland A's)
Date: October 17, 1989
Location: Candlestick Park in San Francisco
As players warmed up and fans filled the stadium, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck. Around the Bay Area, 63 people were killed and thousands more were injured. The game was instantly canceled and would be rescheduled ten days later, with the A's beating the Giants 13-7.
2. A Swarm of Insects
Game: American League Division Series - Game 2 (Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees)
Date: October 5, 2007
Location: Jacobs Field in Cleveland
During this tight contest, a swarm of insects descended onto the field—to the players' great dismay. Play was stopped briefly as both teams applied bug spray. Still, the insects proved to be a distraction as Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, covered in bugs, blew a save and sent the game into extra innings. Cleveland would end up winning 2-1 in the 11th inning.
3. Heavy Snow
Game: Cleveland Indians vs. Seattle Mariners
Date: April 6, 2007
Location: Jacobs Field in Cleveland
The Cleveland Indians' home opener against the Seattle Mariners was just one pitch away from being an official game (five innings) when Mother Nature intervened. After several snow delays, the game was finally postponed. In fact, the entire four-game series was postponed, and the Indians' following series, against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, was moved to Miller Field in Milwaukee. The Indians would not have an official game at home until April 13.
4. Heavy Rain
Game: Chicago White Sox vs. Texas Rangers
Date: August 12, 1990
Location: Comiskey Park in Chicago
In 1990, rain drowned any hopes of a game being played between the White Sox and Rangers. The contest was scheduled to start at 1:35 p.m., but—after an agonizing seven-and-a-half-hour rain delay—it was finally called. At that point only a few hundred diehard fans remained in the stands.
5. Extreme Cold
Game: National League Division Series - Game 3 (Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies)
Date: October 11, 2009
Location: Coors Field in Denver
This game had actually been scheduled for the day before, but snow and subzero temperatures pushed it back to October 11. That night, however, the temperature at the time of the first pitch was a chilling 35 degrees—making it one of the coldest games on record.
6. Extreme Heat
Game: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Texas Rangers
Date: August 26, 1988
Location: Arlington Stadium in Arlington, Texas
The temperature during this game was downright dangerous, reaching 109 degrees, according to Baseball-Reference.com. The Blue Jays wilted in the heat, getting just two hits in a 5-1 loss to the Rangers.
7. Hurricane Irene
Game: Multiple games on the East Coast
Date: August 28, 2011
Location: East Coast
In 2011, Hurricane Irene battered the Eastern seaboard like a Louisville slugger. The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles pushed back a Sunday doubleheader, the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves postponed all weekend games, and other teams moved Sunday games to Saturday doubleheaders. Teams had to reschedule the missed games in September.
8. Squirrel Delay
Game: National League Division Series - Game 4 (St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies)
Date: October 5, 2011
Location: Busch Stadium in St. Louis
During the fifth inning, a squirrel raced past Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt as he threw the ball. Oswalt complained that the squirrel had distracted him and asked that the pitch be nullified. The play stood, however, and Oswalt got the batter out on the next pitch. The Cardinals—who adopted the "Rally Squirrel" as an unofficial mascot—would eventually win the game, and the World Series. The Rally Squirrel was featured on their 2011 World Series rings.
9. High Winds
Game: 1961 All-Star Game
Date: July 11, 1961
Location: Candlestick Park in San Francisco
Strong winds swirled during this high-energy, extra-innings exhibition game. A powerful gust reportedly pushed National League Pitcher Stu Miller off the mound, causing him to balk, which allowed the American League to tie the game. The National League, however, scored two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 5-4 victory.
10. Stormy Weather
Game: Minnesota Twins vs. Texas Rangers
Date: July 8, 2012
Location: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas
A bolt of lightning and a crash of thunder sent fans, players, and umpires scurrying for cover. Some players, in fact, dashed for the dugouts as if under attack. The game was delayed for 45 minutes. The Rangers would go on to win 4-3 in extra innings.
