August 31, 1994: The Russians Pull Their Last Troops Out of the Baltics

August 31, 1994: The Russian Federation pulls the last of its armed forces out of the "Baltic States": Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. These countries had gained their independence from the Russian Empire after World War I, but it didn't last.

On September 28, 1939, under threat of invasion, Estonia signed a treaty of "mutual assistance" with the Soviet Union, which allowed the establishment of Soviet military bases there. Latvia, under similar duress, did so on October 5; Lithuania, on October 10.

On June 14, 1940, the day the Nazis marched into Paris, the Soviets issued an ultimatum to Lithuania, demanding the replacement of the Lithuanian government, and that the Red Army be allowed into the country. The government decided that, with Soviet bases already in Lithuania, armed resistance was impossible and accepted the ultimatum.

The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was incorporated into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on August 3, 1940; the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic followed on August 5; the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, on August 6.

During the Eastern European phase of World War II, which the Soviets named the Great Patriotic War, the Nazis killed 120,000 people in Lithuania, 85,000 in Latvia, 10,000 in Estonia.

With the Eastern European revolutions of 1989 in mind, on March 11, 1990, Lithuania's Supreme Council declared independence from the Soviet Union. Latvia did the same on May 4. The Soviets responded with military force, but Lithuania fought them to a stalemate. Latvia's independence was recognized by the United Nations on August 21, 1991, followed by Lithuania's and Estonia's on September 17.

On December 25, 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved. On August 31, 1993, the last Russian troops left Lithuania. A year later, the last Russian troops were pulled out of Latvia and Estonia.

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August 31, 1994 was a Tuesday. Major League Baseball was the only North American sports league that was supposed to be in its regular season, but the Strike of '94 had just begun. So there were no scores on this historic day.

August 23, 1989: The Baltic Way

The chain in Lithuania. Note the flag.

August 23, 1989: On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, the Baltic Way, also known as the Chain of Freedom, was undertaken.

A human chain of about 2 million people stretched 420 miles between the capitals of the "Baltic States," which had been under Soviet rule since 1940, except for Nazi occupation from 1941 to 1944: Vilnius, Lithuania; Riga, Latvia; and Tallinn, Estonia.

For the most part, they got away with it: The Soviets responded with intense rhetoric, but no military or economic action.

But when these same countries tried to break away from the Soviet Union over the next 2 years, they were hit back, hard. But with their domestic situation in disarray, the Soviets couldn't continue, and had to fall back. Lithuania regained its independence on March 11, 1990. Latvia declared independence on May 4, 1990, but the Soviet Union did not recognize it until September 6, 1991, after the August Coup. Estonia's was recognized on August 20, 1991.

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August 23, 1989 was a Wednesday. These Major League Baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees lost to the Boston Red Sox, 4-1 at Yankee Stadium. Mike Boddicker outpitched Andy Hawkins. Don Mattingly went 1-for-4. Dave Winfield missed the entire season due to a back injury.

* The New York Mets lost to the San Francisco Giants, 5-0 at Shea Stadium. It took 3 Giant pitchers to pitch a 5 hit-shutout: Rick Reuschel allowed 3 hits over 6 innings, Craig Lefferts 2 over 2, and Steve Bedrosian pitched a perfect 9th. David Cone took the loss. Matt Williams hit a home run.

* The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos, 1-0 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. This was one of the longest games ever played: 22 innings. Pascual Pérez pitched 8 innings for the Expos, and Orel Hershiser 7 for the Dodgers. Alfredo Griffin went 0-for-9 for the Dodgers, on top of an 0-for-4 the night before, his batting average dropping from .272 to .263 in 2 days. Rick Dempsey, better known as a good-fielding but not really good-hitting catcher for Baltimore, led off the top of the 22nd inning with a home run to end the scoreless duel.

* The San Diego Padres beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-3 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Tony Gwynn did not play.

* The Baltimore Orioles beat the Milwaukee Braves, 3-1 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Cal Ripken went 0-for-4. So did Robin Yount. Paul Molitor went 1-for-4.

* The Atlanta Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-0 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Marty Clary pitched a 5-hit shutout.

* The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers, 11-4 at the SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre) in Toronto.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Houston Astros, 6-1 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Barry Bonds went 0-for-1 with 3 walk. No, he wasn't yet the big bulky slugger that he would become.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Seattle Mariners, 5-3 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Rookie Ken Griffey Jr. went 0-for-4.

* The Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs, 8-5 at Wrigley Field in Cincinnati. This was Pete Rose's 4,219th game in a Major League Baseball uniform, as a player and/or a manager. It would also be his last.

* The Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox, 8-7 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

* The Kansas City Royals beat the California Angels, 6-4 at Royals Stadium (now Kauffman Stadium) in Kansas City. George Brett went 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs.

* The Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers, 5-4 at Arlington Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. Dave Stewart outpitched Kevin Brown. Rickey Henderson went 2-for-4 with a walk.