Deseret News archives: Looking back on the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake

A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.

On Oct. 17, 1989, an earthquake measuring 6.9 in magnitude struck Northern California, killing 63 people and causing up to $10 billion worth of damage.

In California, it was the first big quake. For many readers, this earthquake was memorable for one reason: baseball.

The 1989 World Series was a couple of games into a showdown between two Northern California teams. The San Francisco Giants were set to host the Oakland Athletics that evening. Oakland had won the first two games, but Game 3 would be in the Giants’ iconic Candlestick Park.

But the earthquake, officially the Loma Prieta earthquake, struck about 30 minutes before time and sports became secondary.

First, details about the earthquake and aftermath.

Historians say the major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area, caused 63 deaths, nearly 3,800 injuries, and an estimated $6 billion-plus in property damage. Sections of Interstate 880 in Oakland and a section of the Bay Bridge collapsed and required overhaul.

It was the strongest earthquake to hit the area since the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

Here are some articles from Deseret News archives about the quake:

S.F. area still jittery after ‘89 quake”

“ Disaster claims two church members, shakes lives of many others”

“ Quake toll, magnitude both rise”

“ Fact and figures on the big quake”

“ Bay Bridge ready to reopen a month after quake damage”

66% of Utahs expect major quake, 71% are prepared”

“ Let’s wipe out seismic data lag”

Back to the MLB action. Baseball officials had to decide whether to finish the World Series. The Bay Area had been revved up for the showdown.

Commissioner Fay Vincent announced that no games would be played until city officials approved. The parks had only sustained slight damage.

Historically, the World Series was played through World Wars and the Great Depression.

The NFL played a full schedule of games two days after President John F. Kennedy was shot to death, and in 1981, the NCAA played its championship basketball game the day President Ronald Reagan was shot.

In fact, the game would eventually be played 10 days later. Oakland won the next two games to complete the sweep of the rival Giants. and that’s how the “Bay Bridge Series” also became known as the “Earthquake Series.”

Here are a few stories about baseball from Deseret News archives on a challenging natural disaster:

“ Revisiting one of the scariest moments in sports broadcasting history ”

“ Outtakes from the quake, 30 years later ”

“ How TV fared in covering the quake”