In 1968, pitchers didn’t just dominate baseball — they nearly broke it. ERAs plummeted, strikeouts skyrocketed, and offense disappeared in what became known as the “Year of the Pitcher.” The imbalance was so extreme that Major League Baseball was forced to step in.In this encore presentation of Sports History Daily, we revisit the historic decision to lower the pitcher’s mound from 15 inches to 10 — a move that reshaped the game forever. From Bob Gibson’s legendary 1.12 ERA to the behind-the-scenes debates inside MLB’s rules committee, we break down why the change was made and how Opening Day 1969 finally gave hitters a fighting chance again.This is the story of the rule change that saved offense — and changed baseball, literally and figuratively.
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Every day has a story — and in sports, those stories are everywhere.Sports History Daily takes you on a journey through the moments that shaped the games we love. From record-breaking performances to forgotten milestones, each episode explores what happened, why it mattered, and how it changed the course of sports history.Perfect for sports fans and curious minds alike, it’s a daily dose of learning, storytelling, and discovery — one game, one play, one legend at a time.