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Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about TV and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the TV urban legends featured so far.

TV URBAN LEGEND: Seaquest correctly predicted the Florida Marlins’ 2003 World Series victory.

Reader Paul asked:

I was hoping you could help me with this one. A friend of mine told me that the TV Show Seaquest DSV correctly predicted the World Series, 10 years before it happened. In the first episode he said one of the actors was wearing a Marlins Jersey, and on the back it said World Series Champion, 2003. So not sure if this is true, or if the guy was just wearing a Marlins Jersey. Was hoping you knew the answer.

Sure thing, Paul!

Seaquest DSV was about submarine, appropriately named seaQuest DSV 4600, in the year 2018, where the world has wasted almost all of its resources on land, and thereby is forced to colonize under the sea, with Seaquest being there to protect the colonists (and also do some exploring, of course).

Jonathan Brandis played Lucas Wolenczak, a teenaged genius who invented a device that allowed humans to communicate with dolphins.

In any event, Lucas was, indeed, a fan of the National League baseball team, the Florida Marlins, which was likely:

A. A cute reference to how the show was in the future and the Marlins (who were an expansion team that began playing baseball in 1993, the same year Seaquest debuted) were now a veteran team

B. Logical, as the show was based near Florida

and

C. Perhaps a fish joke, seeing as how the show was about underwater exploration, and the character’s favorite team is named after fish.

Here Lucas is wearing his jersey…

So Paul’s friend is correct, Lucas DID wear a Marlins jersey. But is it like Paul said – it was just a Marlins jersey and nothing more?

Well, no, interestingly enough, the jersey DID mention that the Marlins were World Series Champions. And it even added a date!!

But WHAT date?

2010.

So no, they did not correctly predict that the Marlins would win the 2003 World Series. And the 2010 Marlins did not win the World Series either (and they are not even CALLED the Florida Marlins anymore, as they changed their name to the Miami Marlins in 2012).

The legend is…

STATUS: False

Thanks to Paul for the question!

Feel free (heck, I implore you!) to write in with your suggestions for future installments! My e-mail address is bcronin@legendsrevealed.com.