Remember that time the world ended because baseball salaries slipped the surly bonds of reason and French kissed the sky?
The game had an acute case of Go Fever. A Sports Illustrated story titled “Rich Man’s Game” (subtitled “Baseball salaries are now out of sight”) described it thusly:
“The time has come when utility infielders drive Rolls-Royces and the superstars fly in private jets. Armed with bags of cash, the owners have abandoned the restraints.”
Looking at you, 1989. You with your fiscal insouciance, your standing weather report: “Showers of $1,000 bills, tapering off to sprinkles of blank checks.