The bizarre, fan interference-mired opening game of the ’96 ALCS demands a deep rewind

A lot was going on for the Yankees and Orioles in 1996. Making the ALCS was just one layer. You slice into the decadent cake that was the ‘96 Yankees-Oriole rivalry and you’re gonna see off-season battles, spit flying, and a young Yankee fan who does not respect vertical planes.

Both teams were rich and before the season they went after the same talent, like David Cone (Yanks), and David Wells (O’s). The Davids, I like to call them.

The next layer of the cake would probably be Roberto Alomar spitting on an umpire and then implying the ump’s dead child made him bad at his job. That’s a thick layer.

A bitter layer for the O’s was the Jeffery Maier incident. That’s the young Yankee fan who interfered and made himself a friend of Derek Jeter for life.

And it was Bernie Williams, once nicknamed “Zero,” but now on the precipice of a breakout season who, in the bottom of the 11th of game one, had the opportunity to add a layer so sweet it would overshadow the rest of the cake. Let’s rewind.