Memorable moments before a possible strike

Five days remain until Major League Baseball's drop-dead date for a strike, the ninth work stoppage in about 20 years.

One person's prediction: If the players strike, the World Series will be canceled, like it was in 1994, ruining the Twins' chance to appear in the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

Another prediction: If the season ends, owner Carl Pohlad will accept a check for about $150 million and the Twins will be contracted, solving the stadium crisis.

The drop-dead date also leaves only five more days to consider the Most Memorable Moments in Baseball History (strikes aren't eligible). Fans may go to www.mlb.com to select their favorite moments from 30 on the ballot. The top five will be announced during Game 4 of the World Series, assuming there is a 2002 Fall Classic.

Following is one person's top five, in no particular sequence:

1995 -- Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles breaks Lou Gehrig's consecutive games played record of 2,130. No one thought Gehrig's mark could be surpassed. It's the penultimate record of skill and endurance.

1985 -- Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds breaks the all-time hit record, surpassing Ty Cobb's mark of 4,191. Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame. If personality was held against players, the plaques of many players already enshrined would have to be torn off the wall at the hall.

1974 -- Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves breaks Babe Ruth's all-time home run record of 714. A remarkable accomplishment, set in an era when players probably weren't using steroids, nutritional supplements and human growth hormones. It's a testament to Aaron's strength, skill and perseverance.

1947 -- Jackie Robinson joins the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first Afro American player in modern MLB. Mentally, Robinson may have been the toughest man ever to play the game because of the abuse he endured.

1941 -- (Tie) Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees hits in a record 56 consecutive games and Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox becomes the last player to hit .400. With coast-to-coast travel, and the nasty assortment of pitches thrown by today's relievers, neither mark may be attainable by today's hitters.

Following are other memorable moments on the ballot:

1905 -- Christy Mathewson throws three complete-game shutouts as the New York Giants beat the Philadelphia A's, 4-1, in the World Series.

1920 -- The Boston Red Sox sell Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees

1934 -- Carl Hubbell of the New York Giants strikes out Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in succession in the All-Star Game.

1938 -- Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitches the only consecutive no-hitters in history against the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers.

1939 -- The Yankees' Gehrig retires with his "luckiest man" farewell speech.

1951 -- Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'round The World" defeats the Brooklyn Dodgers as the New York Giants win the NL pennant in a 1-game playoff.

1954 -- Willie Mays makes "The Catch " in deep center field in the World Series as the New York Giants sweep the Cleveland Indians.

1956 -- Don Larsen pitches the only perfect game in World Series history as the Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1960 -- Bill Mazeroski of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a bottom-of-the-ninth home run in Game 7 to win the World Series against the Yankees.

1961 -- Roger Maris of the Yankees breaks Ruth's single-season home run record by hitting 61.

1971 -- Satchel Paige becomes the first Negro League player inducted into the Hall of Fame.

1972 -- The Pirates' Roberto Clemente gets his 3,000th hit in what turns out to be his final at bat.

1975 -- Carlton Fisk of the Boston Red Sox hits a bottom of the 12th game-winning home run in Game 6 of the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.

1977 -- Reggie Jackson hits 3 home runs in 3 consecutive at bats in Game 6 of the World Series as the Yankees defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers.

1986 -- The New York Mets come from behind to defeat the Red Sox in the World Series in 7 games.

1988 -- Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth wins Game 1 of the World Series as the Los Angeles Dodgers go on to defeat the Oakland A's.

1991 -- Rickey Henderson of the A's breaks Lou Brock's all-time career stolen base record of 938.

1991 -- Jack Morris pitches 10 shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves and leads the Twins to victory in Game 7 of the World Series.

1993 -- Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a World Series-winning walk-off home run in Game 6 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

1998 -- The St. Louis Cardinals' Mark McGwire and Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa race to beat Maris' single-season record of 61 home runs.

2001 -- Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants breaks McGwire's single-season home run record, and finishes with 73.

2001 -- After two game-winning home runs in Games 4 and 5 by the Yankees, a single by Luis Gonzalez in the bottom of the ninth in Game 7 leads the Arizona Diamondbacks to victory in the first November World Series.

2001 -- Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners earns 2001 American League MVP and Rookie of the Year honors, as well as being the leading All-Star vote-getter.

e-mail your top five to mbialka@brainerddispatch.com