Many more watched from their Bay Area homes.Â. This article is the copyright of ©Referee Enterprises, Inc., and may not be republished in whole or in part online, in print or in any capacity without expressed written permission from Referee. The applause abruptly halted when word of the ever-increasing death count spread like a brushfire through the crowd. 70+ Free Officiating Video Sessions Available On Demand – WATCH NOW! There was talk of canceling the rest of the World Series altogether. All of a sudden, we heard a loud roar that sounded like a locomotive. The quake struck with a moment magnitude of 6.9 on October 17, just before the start of the third game of the World Series, which was being held at San Francisco's Candlestick Park. An Earthquake Registering 6.9 On The Richter Scale Brought The Bay Area & The World Series To A Screeching Halt! There was only minor damage to the stadium, however extensive damage occured … “We were sitting around the dressing room preparing to work a World Series ballgame. The police officers — 70 in all — attempted to flush the fans from the stadium. With thousands of fans already in Candlestick Park for the 5:35 pm first pitch, the stadium began to rumble a little after five, and it didn’t take long before the locals figured out what was happening … earthquake! The Series ran from October 14 through October 28, with the Athletics sweeping the Giants in four games. I had shower shoes, long johns and a long-sleeved shirt on, and I ran directly onto the field. The chance of another historic-level earthquake to occur during any MLB game, let alone a World Series game, is about zero. If not for the imminent contest between the A’s and Giants, traffic on the collapsing Nimitz Freeway and Bay Bridge span could have been far worse, potentially increasing the amount of casualties. Remarkably though, Bay area residents were eager to restart. The earthquake was nicknamed the World Series Earthquake because it occurred just before a World Series baseball game was scheduled to begin in Candlestick Park. ... 1989 World Series game 3, Loma Prieta earthquake tribute. Note: This article is archival in nature. 1989 World Series game 3, Loma Prieta earthquake tribute. The Earthquake Game was a college football game in which the crowd reaction after an important play registered on a seismograph. It was almost like an optical illusion.”. “There was a lot of commotion,” said Voltaggio, who retired in 1995 with a pair of bad knees after 24 years in the majors. Because one natural disaster had already shaken the series, there weren’t any chances taken for whether one happened again. The game was postponed out of concerns for the safety of everyone in the ballpark as well as the loss of power, with commissioner Fay Vincent later saying that he did not know when play would resume. “There was stunned silence from everyone in the stadium when they realized this was a very serious situation,” Clark said. There was an error submitting your subscription. The producer obliged, and Clark provided ESPN with a few sound bites before negotiating his way to a hotel under a blanket of darkness in a city devoid of electricity. Today's World Series memory is not a happy one at all. The debate about whether to resume, cancel or relocate the World Series became a moral — and safety — issue embraced by the nation. It was 5:04 p.m. PDT on Oct. 17, 1989, and Clark, then an AL umpire, was 21 minutes from working game three of the 86th World Series — featuring the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics — when Mother Nature flexed her muscles, ravaging the Bay area with an earthquake that measured 7.1 on the Richter scale. Twelve days after game two, on Oct. 29, the World Series continued after a team of 17 structural engineers and two architects deemed Candlestick Park structurally sound, stating most of the damage was “cosmetic.” Vincent also paused for approval from the community and police force before commencing the Series. Thirty years ago, more than 60,000 fans at Candlestick Park awaited the start of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series. “There was a vibration that went through the dressing room. Dubbed The "Loma Prieta Earthquake" As The Epicenter Was Located Near The Loma Prieta Peak In The Santa Cruz Mountains Approximately 85 Miles Away The World Series Game 3 Was Brought To A Terrifying Halt. Visit Baseball-Reference.com for the complete box score, play-by-play, and win probability Players scanned the bleachers for their wives and children, waving them down. Every usher at Candlestick Park was given a flashlight, and FBI agents were brought to the stadium to assist potential relief efforts, according to a New York Times report from that month. Then-MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent made the decision in conjunction with city, stadium and other baseball officials to postpone the Series for 10 days — the only time a series has been interrupted for anything other than inclement weather. Everything we send is officiating specific because that's all we do. Florida defender throws shoe for costly unsportsmanlike penalty. There was talk of playing the remaining games in Los Angeles. “I went up to one of the producers and told them I would go on their broadcast and talk about the situation if they would let me use their phone to call my wife (Diane) in Pennsylvania.”. The duration of the heaviest shaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains was about 15 seconds, but strong ground motion recordings revealed that the duration of shaking was not uniform throughout the affected area (due to different types and thicknesses of soil). -$50. Map of the 1989 San Francisco–Oakland earthquake (also known as the Loma Prieta earthquake). https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/c1/a0/candlestick-101619-getty-ftr_pae8zf71xm8g12yqesvpz0wcy.jpg?t=-668922035&w=500&quality=80, How the Nationals went from punchline to pennant winner in 15 days. When the 1989 San Francisco quake hit, baseball stopped as a city tended to its wounds. The chance of another historic-level earthquake to occur during any MLB game, let alone a World Series game, is about zero. Loma Prieta Earthquake, CA, 1989, 1 … The third game of the series was scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. 5 years ago | 27 views. People tuning in for Game 3 on TVs around the U.S. watched chaos unfold in real time, the pregame broadcast turning to fuzz as Al Michaels in the background could be heard exclaiming about there being an earthquake. “The people in the stands thought this was an omen to turn the World Series around,” recalled Clark. Report. 3 of 11 San Francisco Police and baseball officials gather to discuss what to do in the moments following the Loma Prieta Earthquake during game 3 of the World Series … After he left, (ESPN analyst Chris Berman) came in and spent a few minutes. Padres left-hander Eric Lauer threw a strike as the stadium shook. At sites with rocky terrain, the duration was shorter and the shaking was much less intense, and at locatio… The 1989 World Series will forever be one to remember, thanks to a powerful earthquake that struck during Game 3. Referee, the world’s original sports officiating magazine, educates, challenges and inspires officials at all levels. I’m sure there was a certain amount of looting, so you really had to take care of yourself. World Series Game 3 between the Giants and Athletics was not replayed until two weeks later, Oakland swept the series 4-0. 1989 World Series Game 3 Earthquake TicketThe 1989 World Series game 3 San Francisco Giants Full ticket played at Candlestick Park is worth about $40. On October 17, 1989 at 5:04 P.M., a major earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay area. The Loma Prieta earthquake was named for Loma Prieta Peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which lies just to the east of the mainshock epicenter. Photograph taken October 17, 1989 just 2 or 3 minutes after a 7.1 earthquake. I don’t think (the fans) really knew the extent of damage.”. A squadron of police cars streamed onto the baseball diamond to assess the damage and keep fans off the field. Many called for the cancellation of the Series, claiming San Francisco needed time to recuperate and mourn its dead. The walls were waving. Vic Voltaggio, the AL umpire scheduled to work the plate that day, sat in a locker room directly across the hall from Clark when he was knocked off a bench by the quake, which lasted 15 seconds and was felt as far south as San Diego. ... As a kid I attended my first MLB game at the tender age of 6. The ‘89 World Series was most known for the Loma Prieta earthquake, which hit minutes before Game 3 causing significant damage to both Oakland and San Francisco. Playing next. Clumps of strangers huddled around portable television sets to watch live news reports at sites like the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which partially collapsed. Those viewing the nationally televised game from their living rooms heard ABC sports announcer Al Michaels utter the disconcerting cliffhanger, “There’s an earth …” before the picture suddenly went black. The shaken Series Thirty years ago, on Oct. 17, 1989, the A’s and Giants were preparing for Game 3 of the World Series when the Loma Prieta earthquake struck. A "Monday Night Football" game scheduled to be shown on ABC, the same channel offering the World Series, could have forced a rare day game for Game 5. And let’s face it: It was only a baseball game.”. The article is made available for educational use by individuals. Copyright © 2020 Referee Enterprises Inc. We won't send you spam. It was 5:04 p.m. PDT on Oct. 17, 1989, and Clark, then an AL umpire, was 21 minutes from working game three of the 86th World Series — featuring the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics — when Mother Nature flexed her muscles, ravaging the Bay area with an earthquake that measured 7.1 on the Richter scale. The Oakland Athletics won the American League West division by seven games over the Kansas City Royals then defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, four games to one, in the American League Championship Series. Oakland ace Dave Stewart became the first pitcher in history to collect two victories in the same season in the League Championship Series and World Series, and the Athletics finally realized their potential as one of the finest teams of that era. Played in front of a crowd of 79,431 at Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium on October 8, 1988, the LSU Tigers upset No. Sixty-three people died, and nearly 3,800 were injured. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. MLB Tonight takes a look back at the 1989 World Series, when an earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay area before Game 3 Then the A’s would complete the sweep by winning the next two games 13-7 and 9-6. “I’ll tell people that I worked the Earthquake Series and they don’t remember who was playing,” said Rennert, 69, and now retired. Just prior to game 3 on Oct. 17th, the Loma Prieta earthquake (magnitude 7.1) struck the San Francisco/Oakland area. Oakland needed only two more games to clinch the Series in a straight sweep, and respectfully refrained from locker room celebrations. The 86th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Oakland Athletics and the National League (NL) champion San Francisco Giants. On July 5, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit 150 miles northeast of Dodger Stadium in Ridgecrest, Calif. It could be felt in the fourth inning of a game between the Dodgers and Padres. MORE: How the Nationals went from punchline to pennant winner in 15 days. It was the only time in history a World Series was interrupted for anything other than inclement weather. I was taken to see the Amazing 1969 New York Mets and since I grew up near NYC the METS became my team as a child. “It was a strange situation,” said Voltaggio, 60. I saw the earth swell,” Clark, 53, recalls. The Loma Prieta earthquake, which happened 25 years ago at 5:04:15 p.m. PT on Oct. 17, 1989, reached a magnitude of 6.9 and lasted 17 seconds that … Once the airport re-opened two days later, Clark flew home to Newton, Pa., to await further instructions. There has only been one World Series pitting Oakland against San Francisco. Oakland Athletics beat San Francisco Giants (13-7). Three takeaways from that single event … It's the 1989 Earthquake in the Bay area that put a temporary stop to the World Series -- but did much worse damage elsewhere. ABC 1989 World Series Game 3 Earthquake NBC News on 1989 San Francisco Earthquake - Oct., 1989. It was a big-league quake. Around 7:00 p.m., the stadium had all but emptied. The 1989 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1989 season. But this season, baseball received its closest brush with what happened in 1989. Success! The collective affection for baseball may have saved lives. Just prior to the game, at 5:04 p.m., with live cameras on the field, a … Had the A’s not swept and prevented the series from heading back to Oakland, there would have been several potential conflicts. Sign up. ''God forbid anything happens,” then-San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos said at the time, “but if anything happens, this will be the safest place to be.''. At 5:04 p.m, the 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta Earthquake began and lasted about 15 seconds, causing major structural damage along a wide swath of land. Browse more videos. “He had come into the locker room with his entourage. Please try again. Watch this Clip of a the first US Broadcast to Capture an Earthquake's initial Jolt. The tremor shattered windows, violently shook the stadium along with the 60,000-plus fans in attendance and, in the end, killed 67 people in other parts of the city and caused billions of dollars worth of damage to the area. Voltaggio, unlike Clark, had most of his immediate family in town for the Series and stayed to witness the aftermath. But I think the people of San Francisco wanted it to continue, almost as a healing project.”. Unlike the aftermath of the earthquake 30 years ago, though, baseball moved on without delay. The 1989 World Series will always be overshadowed by the Loma Prieta earthquake, which struck just before Game 3, but the Battle of the Bay was full … “You’re walking along the city filled with broken glass. As is, the earthquake resulted in 63 deaths and more than 3,000 injuries around Northern California. “I saw that ESPN was still telecasting — their trucks had their own generators,” said Clark. 1989 World Series Oakland Athletics (4) vs San Francisco Giants (0) The final Fall Classic of the 1980's is not remembered for the games that took place within the two bay area ballparks. Baseball fans in attendance at this point were still standing and looking around and surveying the damage. Not knowing if the walls were going to come crumbling down, the safest place was on the field.”. There was a 10-day delay after the earthquake before they ended up playing game 3. Library. Subscribe to get the Referee.com Review every week plus periodic free training and special offers on the sports you officiate. Search. Game 3 of the 1989 World Series was a few minutes from starting when the Loma Prieta earthquake rocked Northern California. Thirty years ago this week I was sitting in the upper deck of Candlestick Park in San Francisco awaiting the start of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series when a 6.9-magnitude earthquake stopped everything. Players, coaches and the media joined Clark, Voltaggio and the four other umpires — Eric Gregg, Rich Garcia, Paul Runge and Dutch Rennert — on the field. Meet the 16-year-old referee with a dream of being first Ghanaian to handle World Cup final, Officiating Organizations Stand Out at the Summit@Home, Inside “The Comeback” – Buffalo vs. Houston 1993, “I’ll Never Forget”: Officiating Legends Recall Their Most Memorable Game, One Second Left: Celtics vs. Suns 1976 NBA Finals, Next Level Softball Umpiring Free Email Series, Next Level Baseball Umpiring Free Email Series. 4 Auburn 7–6. Halfdressed and perplexed, Clark stood in the middle of San Francisco’s Candlestick Park (now 3-Com Park) and watched the tranquil, well-groomed blades of grass rise and fall like an angry ocean tide. The Oakland A’s dominated the 1989 World Series both before and after the earthquake. Due to the destructive nature of this earthquake, the game was postponed and the series did not resume for ten days. Oct 27, 1989, Attendance: 62038, Time of Game: 3:03. Voltaggio had retired to a nearby hotel, but Clark, who had altered his original plan of spending the night in the umpire’s dressing room, was arranging for some emergency communication. The odds of one of Northern California’s biggest earthquakes striking at that particular moment were incredibly long. Now check your email to confirm your subscription to the Referee.com Review. The Giants entered the game trailing the Series, 2-0. “Within about a half-hour, it was almost a carnival-type atmosphere. Saturday, October 17th 2020, 6:03 am - The 1989 World Series will forever be one to remember, thanks to a powerful earthquake that struck during Game 3. The San Francisco Giants won the National League West division by three games over the San Diego Padres then defeated the Chicago Cubs, four games to one, in the National League Championship Series. He left, and I was in there by myself when it hit. It ravaged the Bay … And a Rolling Stones concert slated for the Coliseum could have chopped down the crew's preparation window for the event, significantly upping costs. Log in. “But they always remember the quake. “I saw the field at Candlestick in an actual water wave. “I think most people thought they were going to cancel the World Series,” said Voltaggio, now a resident of Spring Hill, Fla. “By and large, that’s what the attitude was. The four-game … Of course, Game 3 of this World Series is not remembered so much for what happened on the field as for the tragedy that delayed the contest a full week and a half. It was the first World Series sweep since 1976, when the Cincinnati Reds swept the New York Yankees. Ultimately, Game 3 took place 10 days later on Oct. 27. “Fay Vincent did an absolutely fabulous job putting baseball on the back burner and allowing the Bay area to settle itself,” Clark said. 9:49. My wife (Janet) had this little flashlight in her pocketbook, and we used that to get (around).”. After the immediate danger passed, fans cheered wildly amid the chaos. “He was masterful in his thought process of waiting and deciding not to move the Series.”. They had won the first two games 5-0 and 5-1 respectively. Between 1900 and 1989, there were nine earthquakes with a magnitude above 6.0 in the region, and just one at 6.9 or above, according to official U.S. records. Watch fullscreen. A lot of the windows had been broken. But it was an unlikely participant that monopolized the newspaper headlines. “I had just finished talking to Fay Vincent,” said Voltaggio. The baseball field came to life under Al Clark’s feet. Of Northern California’s biggest earthquakes striking at that particular moment were incredibly long heard loud! For the Series was interrupted for anything other than inclement weather airport re-opened two days later on Oct..! 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