1995 World Series
Team (Wins) Managers Season Atlanta Braves (4) Bobby Cox 90–54, .625, GA: 21 Cleveland Indians (2) Mike Hargrove 100–44, .694, GA: 30
Dates	October 21–28
Venue(s)	Fulton County Stadium (Atlanta) Jacobs Field (Cleveland)
MVP	Tom Glavine (Atlanta)
Umpires	Harry Wendelstedt (NL, crew chief),Jim McKean (AL),Bruce Froemming (NL),John Hirschbeck (AL),Frank Pulli (NL),Joe Brinkman (AL)
Hall of Famers	Braves: Bobby Cox (manager) John Schuerholz (GM) Tom Glavine Chipper Jones Greg Maddux Fred McGriff John Smoltz Indians: Eddie Murray Jim Thome Dave Winfield (DNP)
Broadcast
Television	ABC (Games 1, 4, 5) NBC (Games 2, 3, 6)
TV announcers	Al Michaels,Jim Palmer, andTim McCarver (ABC) Bob Costas,Joe Morgan, andBob Uecker (NBC)
Radio	CBS WSB (ATL) WKNR (CLE)
Radio announcers	Vin Scully andJeff Torborg (CBS) Skip Caray,Pete Van Wieren,Don Sutton andJoe Simpson (WSB) Herb Score andTom Hamilton (WKNR)
ALCS	Cleveland Indians overSeattle Mariners (4–2)
NLCS	Atlanta Braves overCincinnati Reds (4–0)
← 1994 World Series 1996 →

The1995 World Series was thechampionship series ofMajor League Baseball's (MLB)1995 season. The 91st edition of the World Series, it was abest-of-seven playoff played between theNational League (NL) championAtlanta Braves and theAmerican League (AL) championCleveland Indians. It was the first World Series after theprevious year's Series was canceled due to aplayers' strike. The Braves won in six games to capture their third World Series championship infranchise history (along with1914 in Boston and1957 in Milwaukee), making them the first team to win in three different cities. This was also Cleveland's first Series appearance in 41 years.

The Series was also remarkable in that five of the six games were won by one run, including the clinching sixth game, a 1–0 combined one-hitter byTom Glavine andMark Wohlers.

This was the first time since the LCS changed to a best-of-seven format that a winner of a LCS via a sweep has gone on to win the World Series. Over the next 30 years, It has since been repeated in2019 by theWashington Nationals, in2022 by theHouston Astros, and in2025 by theLos Angeles Dodgers.

This World Series, despite being in an odd-numbered year, opened in the NL home because of the omission of the 1994 World Series. Until 2003, the World Series would begin in the AL home in even-numbered years.

After losing the World Series in 1991 to theMinnesota Twins and in 1992 to theToronto Blue Jays, the Atlanta Braves were making their third attempt in four years (not counting the 1994 strike) to capture Atlanta's first title.

The Braves overcame some early inconsistency to win their division by 21 games. In the playoffs, which featured a new first round, the Braves overwhelmed the third-yearColorado Rockies, then swept theCincinnati Reds in theNLCS (spoiling an all-Ohio World Series in the process; notably, prior to their World Series appearancein 1948, theIndians had spoiled an all-Boston World Series by beating theRed Sox in a one-game playoff). The team relied onclutch hitting and its powerful pitchingrotation, which was made up of perennialCy Young Award winnerGreg Maddux,Tom Glavine,John Smoltz, andSteve Avery.

As the NL champion, they opened this World Series at home because there was no 1994 World Series.

After decades of futility, the city of Cleveland finally had a winner in town. The Indians dominated the American League in 1995, winning 100 of their 144 games (their 100–44 record yielded a very high 0.694 winning percentage, which was, at the time, the highest regular season winning percentage in Major League Baseball since 1954, and is, as of 2015, the 12th highest regular season winning percentage in Major League Baseball history since 1900). Furthermore, in just 144 games, they won the AL Central by 30 games, and they performed the difficult feat of leading their league in both team batting average (0.291) and ERA (3.81). Thanks to their hitting and bullpen, this Indians team became known around the league for their ability to come back from many deficits, often in dramatic fashion; of their 100 regular season victories, 48 were come-back victories, 27 came in their last at-bat, eight came by way of "walk off" home runs, and 13 were extra-inning victories (they were 13–0 in extra-inning games). After this dominance of the AL in the regular season, the Indians, in the playoffs, swept theBoston Red Sox in the opening round, then held offKen Griffey Jr. and the red hotSeattle Mariners in theALCS, before heading into the Series against the Braves.

The 1995 Cleveland Indians featured a very impressive batting line-up; one that hit for high average, good power, and had good speed. In addition to leading the AL in batting average (0.291), the Indians in 1995 also led the American League in runs scored (840; 5.83 runs per game), home runs (207), and stolen bases (132). Led byspeedstersKenny Lofton andOmar Vizquel, along withCarlos Baerga at the top of the order, the Indians offense was powered in the middle of the order byAlbert Belle,Eddie Murray,Manny Ramírez, andJim Thome; at the bottom of the line-up could be foundPaul Sorrento (orHerbert Perry) andSandy Alomar Jr. (orTony Peña). Thus, this Indians line-up had six everyday players who finished the season with a batting average of at least 0.300; and, with Herbert Perry and Tony Peña frequently filling in for Paul Sorrento and Sandy Alomar Jr., respectively, it was not uncommon for the Tribe to field a line-up with as many as eight players who finished the season with a batting average of at least 0.300. In terms of power, though the '95 season was shortened, nevertheless, the Indians' line-up still featured two players with at least 30 HR, five players with at least 20 HR, and seven with at least 10 HR. While this line-up was filled with star players (four, in fact, were named to the 1995 AL All-Star team, namely, Lofton, Baerga, Belle, and Ramirez), Albert Belle stood out among all of them in 1995. Powered by a very strong second half of the season, Belle, the Indians' clean-up hitter in 1995, finished 1995 with a 0.317 batting average, 126 RBI, and 50 home runs. Further to be noted is the fact that, in hitting 50 HR and 52 doubles in 1995, Belle became the first Major League player to hit at least 50 home runs and at least 50 doubles in the same season (an accomplishment which, again, is even more remarkable considering that he did this in a shortened, 144-game season).

The Indians also led the 1995 AL in ERA (3.81). While their starting pitching—led by veteransDennis Martínez andOrel Hershiser—was respectable, it was their bullpen which gave real strength to their pitching staff. Key members of their bullpen staff included veteran right-handerEric Plunk (6–2, 2.67 ERA), veteran left-handerPaul Assenmacher (6–2, 2.82), the young right-handed set-up man,Julián Tavárez (10–1, 2.44 ERA), and right-handed closer,José Mesa (3–0, 1.12 ERA, 46 SV). Mesa, in his first year as closer, posted a league-leading 46 saves in 1995, and set a then-Major League record of 38 consecutive saves without a blown save. Two of the members of the 1995 Indians' pitching staff—Dennis Martínez (the team's ace) and José Mesa—were named to the 1995 AL All-Star team.

It might be noted that this was the first time that a team from Cleveland and one from Atlanta faced each other in the World Series, there were years, prior to the Braves being in Atlanta, in which the Braves faced a Cleveland team for baseball's crown. In1948, the Boston Braves faced the Cleveland Indians (with the Indians winning that Series in six games). Even before that, in 1892, theBoston Beaneaters, a forerunner of the Braves, were also National League Champions in 1892, and faced theCleveland Spiders for the championship.^[1] The Beaneaters beat the Spiders that year to win that baseball championship.

The 1995 World Series was also noted for large-scale protests byNative American activists in response to thecontroversy surrounding both clubs' usage of Native American-themed nicknames, logos and mascots, as well as the use of thetomahawk chop by Braves fans.^[2]

NBC was originally scheduled to televise the entire World Series; however, due to the cancellation of the 1994 World Series, which had been slated forABC (who last televised a World Series in1989), coverage ended up being split between NBC and ABC. Game 5 would be the last Major League Baseball game to be telecast by ABC for 25 years. Had the World Series lasted all seven games, the last game would have been televised by ABC. ABC was scheduled to televise up to four wild card games^[3] in the2020 MLB Postseason.^[4][5]

This was the only World Series to be produced underThe Baseball Network umbrella (arevenue sharingjoint venture between Major League Baseball, ABC and NBC). In July 1995, NBC and ABC announced that they would be pulling out of what was supposed to be a six-year-long venture. NBC would next cover the1997 (NBC's first entirely since1988) and1999 World Series over the course of a five-year-long contract, in whichFox would cover the World Series in even numbered years (1996,1998 and2000).

Game 5 would be the last Major League gameAl Michaels called as a full-time baseball announcer. After that, Michaels would workNFL games full-time for three networks:ABC,NBC, andAmazon Prime. Michaels did call baseball again in a2011 regular season game between theNew York Mets and theSan Francisco Giants onMLB Network, partnering with his erstwhile NBC counterpartBob Costas.

Also during the World Series in 1995, NBC'sHannah Storm not only became the first woman to serve as solo pre-game host of a World Series (CBS'Andrea Joyce co-hosted withPat O'Brien in1993) but also became the first woman to preside over aWorld Series Trophy presentation.^{[citation needed]} Storm was infamously the recipient of a profane outburst fromAlbert Belle in his team's dugout. Later, Belle was unrepentant: "TheIndians wanted me to issue a statement of regret when the fine was announced, but I told them to take it out. I apologize for nothing."John Saunders served as pre-game host for ABC's coverage. Serving asfield reporters for the series wereLesley Visser (ABC) andJim Gray (NBC).

The six games averaged a nationalNielsen rating of 19.5 and a share of 33. Through 2016, this remains the highest-rated World Series of the post-strike era.

On the radio side,CBS was the national broadcaster withVin Scully andJeff Torborg on the call. Locally,WKNR aired the series in Cleveland withHerb Score andTom Hamilton announcing, whileWSB broadcast the series in Atlanta withSkip Caray,Pete Van Wieren,Don Sutton, andJoe Simpson announcing.

Country	Network
Asia	Prime Sports
Australia	Nine Network
Canada	CBC,CTV,SRC
Japan	NHK
Latin America	ESPN
South Korea	MBC
United Kingdom	Sky Sports

NLAtlanta Braves (4) vs. ALCleveland Indians (2)

Braves aceGreg Maddux pitched a two-hit complete game victory in his first World Series appearance (and just the 15th two-hitter in World Series history).

The Indians scored in the first inning whenKenny Lofton reached on an error, stole second and third, and scored on an RBI groundout byCarlos Baerga. In the bottom of the second,Fred McGriff launched atape measure home run on his first ever World Series pitch off Indians starterOrel Hershiser to even the score at 1–1. Both starters settled down until the seventh, when Hershiser and the Indians' bullpen walked the first three Braves to open the inning. The Braves would take a 3–1 lead afterLuis Polonia hit into a run-scoring force play andRafael Belliard bunted a perfectsuicide squeeze. Lofton scored the Indians another run in the ninth to cut the Braves lead to a single run, (both Indians runs resulted from errors and were thus, unearned) but Baerga lifted a pop fly that third basemanChipper Jones grabbed near the visiting dugout to end the game.

Braves No. 2 starterTom Glavine got the win in Game 2, aided by a big sixth-inning home run by catcherJavy López, who also pickedManny Ramirez off first base at a crucial moment in the eighth inning to erase a potential game-tying baserunner. The Indians had taken an early 2–0 lead on anEddie Murray two-run home run afterAlbert Belle got on base, but the Braves evened the score in the third with a sacrifice fly byChipper Jones and an RBI single by David Justice. Lopez launched his home run in the sixth inning from Indians starterDennis Martínez. The Braves' bullpen held off the Indians in the later innings despite allowing a run in the seventh, andMark Wohlers earned the save, giving the Braves a 2–0 series lead.

With the World Series moving to smaller, raucous Jacobs Field in Cleveland, the Indians got their first win. The Indians offense got back on track off Atlanta starterJohn Smoltz. With the Indians already down 1–0 in the bottom of the first,Kenny Lofton singled to center and scored onOmar Vizquel's triple into the right field corner. Omar then scored the go-ahead run whenCarlos Baerga grounded out. In the third, the Indians were back at it again when Lofton opened the inning by ripping a double into the right-center field gap. Omar then got a bunt single and Baerga singled to left to drive in Lofton.Albert Belle then rolled a grounder up the middle to score Vizquel to make it 4–1. This was Smoltz's only early exit and only poor start in eight career World Series appearances. The Braves got a boost, however, when relieverBrad Clontz induced a double play groundout byManny Ramírez to escape further damage. Home runs byFred McGriff andRyan Klesko brought the Braves closer at 4–3. The Indians added a run in the seventh on another RBI hit by Baerga scoring Lofton (who would reach base in all six of his plate appearances). With a 5–3 lead going into the eighth, trouble brewed for the Indians whenCharles Nagy and the bullpen gave up the lead.Marquis Grissom led off with a double off the wall. Polonia singled through the right side to drive in Grissom, sending Nagy to the showers.Chipper Jones walked, McGriff hit a deep fly moving the runners up a base, andDavid Justice reached when Baerga booted his groundball, subsequently allowing Polonia to score the tying run. The inning was capped off byMike Devereaux's RBI single giving the Braves a 6–5 lead. The Braves couldn't hold on to their slim lead either asSandy Alomar Jr. laced a game-tying double inside the line at first in the bottom of the eighth. The two closers,Mark Wohlers andJosé Mesa then matched zeros for the next two innings. In the 11th, the Braves went toAlejandro Peña. Baerga immediately smashed a double and after an intentional walk to Belle, veteranEddie Murray singled to center, scoring pinch runnerÁlvaro Espinoza and cutting the Braves' World Series lead in half.

A record 18 pitchers were used between the Braves and Indians in Games 2 and 3.

Braves managerBobby Cox controversially decided to start left-handed pitcherSteve Avery in the critical Game 4 instead of coming back withGreg Maddux. Despite Avery's uncharacteristically poor regular season showing (7-13, 4.67 ERA), Cox felt he deserved a chance after having won the NLCS clincher against the Cincinnati Reds throwing six shutout innings. Young Braves outfielderRyan Klesko hit a sixth-inning home run to give the Braves the lead. This would be the last time a player would hit home runs in back-to-back World Series games until2016. Avery again delivered six effective innings, only giving up a sixth-inning home run to Indians sluggerAlbert Belle. A controversial play happened whenEddie Murray hit a pitch over third base; left-field umpire Jim McKean called it foul while third-base umpire Harry Wendelstedt looked at Jim McKean to make the call. Murray eventually walked and reached second on a balk by Avery, but Herbert Perry struck out to end the inning. The Braves promptly broke the tie with a three-run seventh, withDavid Justice batting in two of the runs with a single. An RBI double byJavy López gave the Braves an insurance run, making it 5–1. RelieverPedro Borbón Jr. saved the 5–2 win afterMark Wohlers ran into trouble, and the Braves were one victory away from a title.

It seemed the perfect situation for the Braves with Greg Maddux pitching Game 5 with a chance to clinch the title, but Albert Belle slugged a two-run homer in the first inning, and the Braves lineup was held in check by Indians veteran Orel Hershiser who went eight innings, only surrendering two runs.Luis Polonia hit a solo home run into the fourth and the Braves actually tied the game at 2–2 with a run-scoring infield single byMarquis Grissom in the fifth, but the Indians got two more runs from Maddux making it 4–2.Jim Thome hit an insurance home run in the eighth, which proved necessary as Ryan Klesko homered in his third consecutive game, reducing the gap to 5–4. Klesko became the first person to homer in three consecutive World Series road games, by belting homers in Games 3, 4, and 5. The win sent the World Series back to Atlanta.

As previously mentioned, this game was the most recent baseball game thatABC televised until the2020 postseason.

Controversy struck on the morning of Game 6 when Atlanta newspapers printed stories that right fielder David Justice had ripped the city's fans for not matching their motivation of past seasons. Justice, who had been struggling in the postseason, was vilified before the game, but when his sixth-inning home run off a 1–1 pitch byJim Poole broke a scoreless tie, he became a hero.Tom Glavine pitched eight innings of one-hit ball (and five innings of no hit ball) and allowed just three walks (two toAlbert Belle, who was caught stealing second in the second inning to keep a runner from advancing into scoring position) to help earn him the World Series MVP. Only one Indian advanced into scoring position in the entire game whenKenny Lofton stole second, but no one could get him in. Indians starterDennis Martínez lasted just 42⁄3 innings due to allowing four hits and five walks, but no Braves scored. After Justice's home run, the Braves managed just one hit. The lone hit for the Indians was a bloop-single by catcherTony Peña in the sixth, breaking up Glavine's bid to become the first pitcher sinceDon Larsen in 1956 to throw a no-hitter in the World Series. Closer Mark Wohlers pitched the ninth inning, preserving the 1–0 shutout and the Braves' coveted title whenCarlos Baerga's fly ball landed in center fielder Marquis Grissom's glove, giving the Braves their first title in Atlanta and their first since1957 when they were still in Milwaukee. Carlos Baerga was responsible for making the last out in three of the four Indians losses; Games 1, 2 and 6. To date, this is the last 1–0 World Series game won by the home team. Moments after the final out was recorded, a fan in the stands was shown holding a placard that simply said "...Finally!" due to the Atlanta Braves finally winning the World Series on their third try.

Game 6 was partially marred by controversy, due to an unusually wide strike zone umpire Joe Brinkman gave Glavine, which resulted in complaints from the Indians’ players.^[12]

In 1995, the Cleveland Indians batted .291 as a team, led the league in runs scored, hits, and stolen bases, and had eight .300 hitters in their starting lineup. However, the Tribe was held to a .179 batting average in the World Series.

Then-Executive Committee ChairmanBud Selig presided over theCommissioner's Trophy presentation for the first time. In the previous two World Series (1992 and1993),American League presidentDr. Bobby Brown presided over the trophy presentation. Selig would becomeCommissioner of Baseball in 1998.

1995 World Series(4–2):Atlanta Braves (N.L.) overCleveland Indians (A.L.)

The 1995 Braves were in the midst of a streak of 14 consecutive division titles from1991 through2005 (excluding the1994 season, which ended early due to a players strike), however this was the only World Series the Braves would win. Atlanta returned to the Seriesthe following year, but lost to theNew York Yankees in six games. The Braves of this era made one more trip to the Series in1999, but lost to theYankees in a four-game sweep. This was Atlanta's first championship in any of thefour major professional sports, and the last for the city and for the Braves until2021.

The Indians would go on to win the AL Central five of the following six years and return to the World Series in1997, where they lost to theFlorida Marlins in seven games. The core of the 1990s Indians teams would break up in the early 2000s.Albert Belle signed with theChicago White Sox in free agency in the winter of 1996, whileKenny Lofton was traded to the Braves before the start of the 1997 season (he returned in 1998 to play three years with the team only to leave and return again for his final season in 2007); after the turn of the century,Manny Ramirez joined theBoston Red Sox in2001 andJim Thome joined thePhiladelphia Phillies in2003.

Left center field,Grissom on the run. The team of the 90s has its world championship.

• 1995 Japan Series
• Curse of Rocky Colavito

• 1995 World Series atWorldSeries.com viaMLB.com
• 1995 World Series atBaseball Almanac
• 1995 World Series atBaseball-Reference.com
• The 1995 Post-Season Games (box scores and play-by-play) atRetrosheet
• History of the World Series - 1995 atThe Sporting News. Archived fromthe original in May 2006.
• 1995 Atlanta Braves
• 1995 Cleveland Indians
• Brave HeartsArchived October 23, 2012, at theWayback Machine
• Tavarez relishes postseason

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