2006-06-27 03:44:18 · 7 answers · asked by dawn h 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
The dopes in the the American League were losing audience and interest to the then superior National League. So, in the Fall of 1972, they introduced the HORRID (see where I am coming from?) designated hitter rule, making the pitcher not be a part of the line up and having soemone who wouldn't have the skills to otherwise play on a regular basis (trust me on this, AL apologists be damned) become this so called 'DH'.
It debuted as an experiment in 1973 with Ron Bloomberg of the Yankees being the first to take his hacks in this new way. The experiment gave way to the hysterical permanance of the rule in 1975.
The World Series was played under several different scenarios over the years. In 1973-1974, there was no DH, and from 1975-1986, there was alternating years, either all DH or no DH...note that in 1976 the 'Big Red Machine' CIncinnati Reds used the same line up for all games of the WS, the only time it has (or will happen).
Untill the Players Association (jerks that they are) and dopey American League Fans (jerks that they are, too) get on board and see the value of having the pitcher hit again, we will be stuck with two different sets of rules....
Don't get me started with interleague play!
2006-06-27 03:58:19 · answer #1 · answered by SCOTT & ELLIE W 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not just the AL and NL. Only the NL allows pitchers to hit anymore. All leagues all the way down the minor league chain, I believe, use the DH.
As far as the reason, the AL was falling behind in attendance and did it to increase offense. If you enjoy watching pitchers bat and all that tradition, I guess the NL is cool but I like the DH as there tends to be no weak spots in the batting order.
It's cool to have two different sets of rules. In fact, bag interleague play and go back to the AL being a high strike curve ball league and the NL being the low strike fastball league. It makes the All-Star Game and World Series way more interesting!
2006-06-27 11:07:50 · answer #2 · answered by fugutastic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I usta hate the DH but time has tempered my opinion. Although, the National league uses more strategy..ei double switches...I really dont like to see the pitcher bat or walking the 8 th hitter to get to the pitcher. Also aging players who can still hit can dh. I saw Hank Aaron dh when he wuz with the Brewers at the end of his career. Whats wrong with that?
2006-06-27 04:57:18 · answer #3 · answered by Druby 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They started off as two distinct leagues, with nothing to do with each other, then they joined in 1903 as to form MLB, but they retain an identity different from one another. Outside of the DH, there are very few differences.
NOTE: I hate the DH.
2006-06-27 03:51:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anon28 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
back in the day there use to be an al president and an nl president anything that happend in either leagues i.e. fights,umpire calls,one game playoff. that league office would handle it. when the start of the interleague in 97 or 98. it dissolved the league offices and all of the umpires worked for the mlb instead of whatever league they worked for i.e. eric gregg R.I.P. was nl,rocky roe, a.l.
2006-06-27 06:22:09 · answer #5 · answered by tootall132 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Started in 1973 when the AL adopted the DH.
2006-06-27 04:03:00 · answer #6 · answered by TheOnlyBeldin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i like the assumption of a one sport playoff between the two wild card communities. the way i seem at it, it provides the communities greater of an incentive to attempt to win the branch and not danger a one sport removal as a replace of settling for the wild card. I do think of they ought to have it so the two wild card communities can't come from an identical branch.
2016-12-08 13:04:57 · answer #7 · answered by holtslander 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋