Atlanta Braves History: 5 “what if” moments that could have changed history
By James Kunkle
3. What if Jim Leyritz doesn’t hit that home run in the 1996 World Series?
It’s game 4 of the 1996 World Series and the Braves are ahead 6-0 and looking to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. The Yankees score 3 in the 6th to make it 6-3 but things are still looking good for the Atlanta Braves.
Bobby Cox elects to bring in then closer Mark Wohlers in the 8th inning to preserve the lead, but he instead gives up a game-tying home run to Jim Leyritz.
The Yankees would go on to win the game in extra innings and go on to win the next two games to win the series.
Again, the question is, what if Jim Leyritz doesn’t hit that fateful home run?
The Braves almost assuredly go up 3-1 in the series and have Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Glavine waiting for the Yankees for games 5, 6, and 7.
They would have probably already started etching the Braves name on the trophy and been prepared for the Braves to go back-to-back as World Series Champs.
That home run also was probably the last hurrah for Mark Wohlers. He was decent in 1997, but things never got back on track for the right-hander.
We all know how the rest of the 1990s went as well. The Yankees would go on to dominate the second half of the decade and possibly be remembered as the better team that decade to some, even over our beloved Atlanta Braves.
History is a funny thing and we can all just wonder what would have happened if Jim Leyritz doesn’t hit that home run.