Jeffrey Maier: Robinson Cano Double Evokes Memory of Yankees Fan from 1996 ALCS

The New York Yankees inspired visions of 1996 with their commanding win over the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

And not just because the Bronx Bombers looked like a World Series worthy team, though that certainly helps.

With the game deadlocked at 1-1—the same score at which the two teams found themselves when the rain came down on Friday night—Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano drove the ball deep to left field for what may have been a home run had Jeffrey Maier been in the crowd.

Yeah, Jeffrey Maier—you remember him, don't you? For those who don't, Maier was the 12-year-old kid who deflected a deep drive by Derek Jeter into the stands in Game 1 of the 1996 AL Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles. The play was ruled a home run, despite a fiery protest by Orioles right fielder Tony Tarasco, and tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth. Maier's role in the play clearly constituted "spectator interference," which would've otherwise put Jeter on second base with a double.

Instead, the Yanks found themselves tied in the eighth and went on to win the game on a walk-off home run by Bernie Williams in the bottom of the 11th inning.

Fast forward to Oct. 1, 2011 and the play could've easily gone the same way had the fan in the area of Cano's ball decided not to avoid it entirely. Rather than having the satisfaction of trotting around the bases with a two-run homer, Cano had to settle for a double to drive in Curtis Granderson and tilt the score to 2-1 in favor of New York.

Of course, had the fan in question decided to "interfere" with the ball, the play would've likely come under review. Spectator interference falls firmly within the jurisdiction of the instant replay rules instituted by MLB in August of 2008. Hence, Cano probably would've ended up on second base regardless of what that fan in left field had done.

Furthermore, Cano's fifth-inning RBI double wasn't nearly as important in the grand scheme of things as was Jeter's eighth-inning "home run" 15 years ago. The Yankees went on to score seven more runs in last night's game, four of which came on Cano's Grand Slam to right field in the bottom of the sixth.

Nonetheless, it'd be almost impossible not to think of little Jeffrey Maier after seeing Cano's near-homer. For the Yankees and their fans, they can only hope that this bit of baseball deja vu will lead to the same ultimate outcome as did Maier's catch in 1996.

That is, a World Series championship.

Follow @J0shMart1n