Read an in-depth essay on this classic episode at Deadspin.com.

“Homer at the Bat” was probably the first funny episode that stood out for me. “Stark Raving Dad” with the Michael Jackson song is probably more enduring due to its sweetness, but “Homer at the Bat” is much, much funnier and set the tone for the show’s golden years.

It featured Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey Jr., Don Mattingly, Ozzie Smith, Jose Canseco, Mike Soscia, and Daryl Strawberry, among others. The fact that the producers were able to cram in some of the episode’s ephemeral baseball stars (Steve Sax?) and still make it funny is a testament to how great it was.

In honor of the anniversary, here’s a clip of Barney and Wade Boggs getting into a fistfight over who was the greatest Prime Minister of England…in Spanish.