▁was ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁team ▁with ▁the ▁better ▁regular ▁season ▁record , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁that ▁the ▁Wild ▁Card ▁team ▁cannot ▁get ▁home - field ▁advantage . ▁▁ 1 9 9 4 – 1 9 9 5 ▁strike ▁▁ ▁After ▁the ▁boy c ott ▁of ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁the ▁World ▁Series ▁was ▁played ▁every ▁year ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁despite ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁the ▁global ▁influen za ▁pan demic ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 8 – 1 9 1 9 , ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁America ' s ▁invol vement ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁and ▁even ▁an ▁earth qu ake ▁in ▁the ▁host ▁cities ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁World ▁Series . ▁A ▁break down ▁in ▁collect ive ▁b arg aining ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁strike ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁and ▁the ▁event ual ▁can cellation ▁of ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁including ▁the ▁play offs . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁labor ▁tal ks ▁began , ▁baseball ▁franch ise ▁own ers ▁demanded ▁a ▁sal ary ▁cap ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁limit ▁pay roll s , ▁the ▁elim ination ▁of ▁sal ary ▁arbitr ation , ▁and ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁retain ▁free ▁agent ▁players ▁by ▁matching ▁a ▁compet itor ' s ▁best ▁offer . ▁The ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁Play ers ▁Association ▁( ML B PA ) ▁refused ▁to ▁agree ▁to ▁limit ▁pay roll s , ▁not ing ▁that ▁the ▁responsibility ▁for ▁high ▁pay roll s ▁lay