25 Years Ago Today....

Believe it or not ... <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/30284">Pine Tar video proves hard to find</a>.

But if you want to watch it, there you go. (There's a link to the MLB.com video in the story, and the first comment below has an easier-to-view link of Brett's outburst, <a href="http://www.sportaphile.com/2008/07/24/video-25-year-anniversary-of-george-bretts-pine-tar-incident/">here</a>.)

 

Yes he was. Also ejected were Dick Howser, Brett and Rocky Colavito.

The winning pitcher was Mike Armstrong.

 

I recall once hearing the Yankee TV broadcast of the game. I don't remember who the color guy was, but he was actually saying the umpires made the right call, babbling about some rule I'm sure he was making up.

 

I watched it on WPIX with Frank Messer and Bobby Murcer (recently retired) on the call.
Murcer knew what was going on from the start.
Cool seeing Don Mattingly wearing No. 46 in his rookie year.
Mattingly, a lefty, played second base in the completion of the game.
I miss those days, White, Messer and Rizzuto on TV; Nettles, Gossage, Randolph, Martin, Cerone.
Good times.

 

So I get home this afternoon, and what do you suppose my 5 year old has found to watch on ESPN Classic?

I made some lame excuse as to why I wanted to turn the channel, then had to explain the game to my thoroughly confused wife, who couldn't understand why I wouldn't let him watch a baseball game.

 

I'm confused. Why couldn't he watch it??

 

Thing that always cracked me up about Brett going crazy, aside from Brett, of course? Seeing the guys on the bench, legs crossed, not moving one bit the moment he went nuts. I always found that funny. Adds nicely to the contrast.

 

great trivia question. he was on the yankees a couple years later.

 

I think Gaylord Perry won his 300th game against the Yankees as a member of the Seattle Mariners.

 

yes and Seaver did also

 

Had a similar thing involve us a few years later in high school baseball. I played in Iowa and the state association had a rule about having a line marked or taped a certain distance up the bat from the bottom. I don't know why it was needed -- we used aluminum bats, so there was no need of pine tar. Everyone called it the George Brett Rule.
Anyway, we're at a bitter rival's field and their top player belts a homer. Only problem is, his bat didn't have the little tape mark. Hey, it was a stupid rule, but rules are rules.
Our coach appealed, the umpire called him out and their fans and team went nuts. Nothing like what Brett did, but nuts anyway. Good times.

 

I watched it on ESPN Classic the other day. Still great stuff. I have a picture somewhere of me standing in front of the Brett exhibit (my fave player who never played for my Blue Jays) at the baseball hall (this was way before he was inducted) and as I recall the bat was there.

Didn't they change the rule so you have to call the pine tar thing before the first pitch of an at bat?