in 1981, the major league season was interrupted by a players' strike. due to the two-month strike, the owners tried to create an equitable solution. so on august 6, the owners decided to split the 1981 season into two halves, with the first-place teams from each half in each division (or a wild card team if the same club won both halves) meeting in a best-of-five divisional playoff series. the four survivors would then move on to the two best-of-five league championship series. the extra round of postseason playoffs were won by the yankees, athletics, expos, and dodgers.