Baseball darkest moments?

In one of the game's great rivalries, a star player - a future Hall of Famer - wielded a piece of game equipment against an opponent. With lethal and malicious intent.

 

When Roy Hobbs knocked out that bank of lights with a home run. You couldn't see a damn thing in that ballpark after that.

 

When the Cubs won the ... oh yeah ... never mind.

 

The above text loaded before the picture. I was expecting to see Rocket Richard of Montreal bludgeoning Hal Laycoe of Boston toward the end of the 1954-55 NHL season. Hey, it exactly fits the description of Marichal-Roseboro, and it happened 10 years earlier!

 

I did mention it in my OP.

 

If you have not read this by Bill Conlin (Philly Daily News) you might want to check it out.


http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/bill_conlin/20100830_Bill_Conlin__Strasburg_injury_no_surprise_to_one_mechanic.html

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadir_of_American_race_relations

Racism wasn't a permanent condition in this country. The hatred didn't really manifest itself nationwide until years after the Civil War. Blacks were a part of normal society until the Nadir began. They were also in baseball before this mindset took root. Then again, this is something you're not told about in school.

 

I agree with starman on this. When the racists enjoy majority support, that's not easy to overcome. And most Americans did believe in 'separate but equal'.

The victims of 'separate but equal' had their work cut out for them to change public opinion.

 

How does the disco riot not make anyone's list?

 

In that genre, the cheap beer night in Cleveland would top it.

 

"Mr. Kekich, Mrs. Peterson."

"Mr. Peterson, Mrs. Kekich."

(Oh, and when Joe Pepitone introduced hair spray and blow-dryers into clubhouses for that tarantula he wore on his head.)