Pine Tar Incident

[PD]

I know many of you weren't even born yet,
but today is the 25th anniversary of what was the strangest thing I ever saw in baseball -
the Pine Tar Incident (http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080724&content_id=8299&vkey=hof_news)

If you've never seen it, go to the HOF link and watch it.

George Brett's reaction is classic.

[hammersavage]

The enduring image for one of the greatest to ever play. Thanks for the link and the reminder.

[bobsnin]

I was 2, but I've seen the replay plenty of times.

[TheMojoPin]

Shocker that Tim McClelland, arguaby the worst umpire in the last 30 years of MLB, was involved.

[drjoek]

Just a bit of trivia to note If you listen to the replay of the game Phil Rizzutto talks about how earlier in the season someone pulled the same thing on Thurmon Munson,checking his bat and him being called out. So it wasn't an isolated incident and obviously not nearly as big an event.

[King Hippos Bandaid]

Brett running from the dugout is a staple in Baseball History


you don't see that passion and anger anymore

[A.J.]

I was watching that game live when it happened.

[PD]

Brett running from the dugout is a staple in Baseball History


you don't see that passion and anger anymore
http://www.itsalreadysigned4u.com/shop/media/images/product_detail/brett-8x10-royals-pinetar-bw-thumb.jpg

[King Hippos Bandaid]

I was watching that game live when it happened.

with your grandkids I assume

[A.J.]

with your grandkids I assume

Nice one Bacon Boy.

[Crippler]

I was watching that game live when it happened.

Same here...man do I feel old.

My favorite part of the incident (besides the obvious joy of watching Brett go Chernobyl) is watching my childhood babseball idol, Graig Nettles, instigate the whole thing & happily skip away clapping into his glove just a second before Brett is called out & loses his shit.

[TheGameHHH]

i fuckin love George Brett.............that was honestly one of the silliest plays/calls in baseball history.

[Melissa the Accountant]

I don't know enough about sports to talk very knowledgeably on the topic, but I will say that one of the things I like most about George Brett is that I think he became a real Kansas Citian. A lot of athletes don't really live in the city their team is based in, and they just stay there for the season and then ditch the whole joint as soon as it's over. That's what a bunch of the Chiefs players do. Instead, he stayed here in Kansas City and lived in his fancy house and opened a sports grill. I think it's cool for an athlete to take some pride in his team and city.

[envirogator]

I grew up in KC and lived in the same neighborhood as Brett (from 1977-1981). I was in jr. high and high school at the time and he was just fantastic to my friends and I. A number of times he joined us in touch football games, would provide us with tickets to games (which at the time were the tickets to have), and various Royals gear (to this day I have a bat and duffel bag that he gave me). He was my first and only sports hero.

I was a sophomore in college when the 'pine tar' incident happened and was so mad at the call, so mad at the fucking Yankees and so mad at Billy "Fucking" Martin that I actually cried. My dad and brother mocked me endlessly and I felt so fucking stupid. To this day I feel shame when I see that clip. :glurps:

[Snoogans]

I know many of you weren't even born yet,
but today is the 25th anniversary of what was the strangest thing I ever saw in baseball -
the Pine Tar Incident (http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080724&content_id=8299&vkey=hof_news)

If you've never seen it, go to the HOF link and watch it.

George Brett's reaction is classic.

You didnt need to be born if you really like baseball to know about all this. Fuck, it's probably still the main thing he is famous for.

[envirogator]

Fuck, it's probably still the main thing he is famous for.

You can't be serious...

1st ballot hall of famer (98+% of the vote)
3000+ hits
300+ hrs
13 all star games
gold glove
3 batting titles
1980 AL MVP
.390 average in 1980
600+ doubles

[JPMNICK]

I grew up in KC and lived in the same neighborhood as Brett (from 1977-1981). I was in jr. high and high school at the time and he was just fantastic to my friends and I. A number of times he joined us in touch football games, would provide us with tickets to games (which at the time were the tickets to have), and various Royals gear (to this day I have a bat and duffel bag that he gave me). He was my first and only sports hero.

I was a sophomore in college when the 'pine tar' incident happened and was so mad at the call, so mad at the fucking Yankees and so mad at Billy "Fucking" Martin that I actually cried. My dad and brother mocked me endlessly and I felt so fucking stupid. To this day I feel shame when I see that clip. :glurps:

this is such a hysterical post. just the fact that you must have been so heated about what happened is great.

[ChrisTheCop]

Awful decision.
The yankees only complained AFTER they had lost the game.

It's the ump's job to make sure proper equipment, properly maintained is being used AT THE TIME it is being used. Not after someone benefits from it.

[PD]

Awful decision.
The yankees only complained AFTER they had lost the game.

It's the ump's job to make sure proper equipment, properly maintained is being used AT THE TIME it is being used. Not after someone benefits from it.

actually its not; the other team is supposed to complain before the at bat/pitch thrown
(which is what was finally said). Same is true for corked bat suspicions, or checking a pitcher for substance.

[Tallman388]

I was watching this game with my Grandfather. He was a Sawx fan but loved Billy Martin, probably something about angry drunks finding each other. He probably hated Brett more than any Yankee. He howled when they started measuring the pine tar because he knew what was going on. I remember him saying, "Brett's got too much pine tar on his bat." What a day.

[ChrisTheCop]

actually its not; the other team is supposed to complain before the at bat/pitch thrown
(which is what was finally said). Same is true for corked bat suspicions, or checking a pitcher for substance.

So youre saying they ended up saying the yanks wanted to see the bat BEFORE the pitch was thrown? Then why was the pitcher allowed to pitch?

[bobsnin]

I heard on the radio this morning that he trimmed the tar down and continued to use the bat for the next 3-4 games until one of his teammates told him to stop using it and sell it. So he sold it to some collector for 25,000$, then had second thoughts and bought it back.

[PD]

So youre saying they ended up saying the yanks wanted to see the bat BEFORE the pitch was thrown? Then why was the pitcher allowed to pitch?

they overturned the umpire's decision (and allowed the HR to Brett) because the league ruled that the Yankees needed to complain before the pitch was thrown to Brett.

maybe i misunderstood what you were asking.

[ChrisTheCop]

they overturned the umpire's decision (and allowed the HR to Brett) because the league ruled that the Yankees needed to complain before the pitch was thrown to Brett.

maybe i misunderstood what you were asking.

Ohhhhhh. No it was I that misunderstood what you had said.

So...the yankees lose. COOL!

It's weird; it happened in my lifetime, and Ive seen the clip b4, but I really paid so little attention to it.

[tupper65]

I remember watching this one (and the one inning continuation of the game weeks later)
Gossage served up a meatball and Brett hammered it. I thought Bretts head was gonna explode when they called it back.

One of the Yankeeographys talk about it. Munson told Billy Martin about the bat in the beginning of the game and Martin decided to only say something if it came into play (which it did)

The league blew it on this one though. Stupid rule or not, it was in the book!

[Kevin]

Ohhhhhh. No it was I that misunderstood what you had said.

So...the yankees lose. COOL!

It's weird; it happened in my lifetime, and Ive seen the clip b4, but I really paid so little attention to it.

You you are saying that you stand corrected?

[TheGameHHH]

You you are saying that you stand corrected?

i think people around here could say that more often

[Kevin]

i think people around here could say that more often

Where and who did i hear that from..

[ChrisTheCop]

i think people around here could say that more often

Where and who did i hear that from..

I was thinking that as I typed my reply. lol.

But, I didnt take a position, so I wasnt corrected.
I simply misunderstood what someone was trying to tell me.

But yeah, people should admit when theyre wr-wr-wrrr..well, you know, more often
Sure would save us alot of bandwidth.