Pine Tar Incident
Encyclopedia
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
game played between the Kansas City Royals
1983 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 2nd in the American League West with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses.- Offseason :* December 8, 1982: Tim Ireland was released by the Royals....
and New York Yankees
1983 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1983 season was the 81st season for the Yankees. The team finished in third place in the American League Eastern Division with a record of 91-71, finishing 7 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. New York was managed by Billy Martin...
on July 24, 1983
1983 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Philadelphia Phillies ; Rick Dempsey, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Mike Boddicker*National League Championship Series MVP: Gary Matthews...
at Yankee Stadium in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. With his team trailing 4–3 in the top half of the ninth inning, George Brett
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
of the Royals hit a 2-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to give his team the lead. However, Yankees manager Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
, who had noticed a large amount of pine tar
Pine tar
Pine tar is a sticky material produced by the high temperature carbonization of pine wood in anoxic conditions . The wood is rapidly decomposed by applying heat and pressure in a closed container; the primary resulting products are charcoal and pine tar.Pine tar consists primarily of aromatic...
on Brett's bat, requested that the umpires
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
inspect his bat. The umpires ruled that the amount of pine tar on the bat exceeded the amount allowed by rule, nullified Brett's home run, and called him out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
. As Brett was the third out in the ninth inning with the home team in the lead, the game ended with a Yankees win.
The Royals protested the game, and American League president Lee MacPhail
Lee MacPhail
Leland Stanford MacPhail, Jr. is an American retired front-office executive in Major League Baseball...
upheld their protest and ordered that the game be restarted from the point of Brett's home run. The game was restarted on August 18 and officially ended with the Royals winning 5–4.
The incident
Playing at New York's Yankee Stadium, the Royals were trailing 4–3 with two outs in the top of the ninth and U. L. Washington on first base. In the on-deck circle, George BrettGeorge Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
was rumored to have remarked to a teammate, "Watch this baby fly" as he shook his bat. He then came to the plate and connected off Yankee reliever Rich "Goose" Gossage
Rich Gossage
Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
for a two-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
and a 5–4 lead.
As Brett crossed the plate, New York manager Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
approached rookie home plate umpire Tim McClelland
Tim McClelland
Timothy Reid McClelland is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the American League from 1983 to 1999 and throughout both leagues since 2000. He has called many important games, from post-season games to the George Brett "Pine Tar" game in...
and requested that Brett's bat be examined. Earlier in the season, Martin and other members of the Yankees had noticed the amount of pine tar
Pine tar
Pine tar is a sticky material produced by the high temperature carbonization of pine wood in anoxic conditions . The wood is rapidly decomposed by applying heat and pressure in a closed container; the primary resulting products are charcoal and pine tar.Pine tar consists primarily of aromatic...
used by Brett, but Martin had chosen not to say anything until Brett actually did something that hurt them. Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles
Graig Nettles
Graig Nettles , nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best...
recalled a similar incident involving Thurman Munson
Thurman Munson
Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...
in a game against the Minnesota Twins
1975 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins finished 76-83, fourth in the American League West.-Offseason:* October 23, 1974: Pat Bourque was traded by the Twins to the Oakland Athletics for Dan Ford and Dennis Myers ....
.
According to Nettles' autobiography, Balls, Nettles claims that he actually informed Martin of the pine tar rule, as Nettles had previously undergone the same scrutiny with his own bat while with the Twins.
With Brett watching from the dugout, McClelland and the rest of the umpiring crew inspected the bat. Measuring the bat against the width of home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
(which is 17 inches wide), they determined that the amount of pine tar
Pine tar
Pine tar is a sticky material produced by the high temperature carbonization of pine wood in anoxic conditions . The wood is rapidly decomposed by applying heat and pressure in a closed container; the primary resulting products are charcoal and pine tar.Pine tar consists primarily of aromatic...
on the bat's handle exceeded that allowed by Rule 1.10(c) of the Major League Baseball rule book, which read that "a bat may not be covered by such a substance more than 18 inches from the tip of the handle." However, they had to string together the rules in order to determine the appropriate penalty. They ultimately determined that since Brett's bat didn't conform to the rules, he was out for hitting an illegally batted ball.
McClelland searched for Brett in the visitors' dugout, pointed at him, and signaled that he was out, his home run nullified and the game over. An enraged Brett stormed out of the dugout to confront McClelland, and had to be physically restrained by Kansas City manager Dick Howser
Dick Howser
Richard Dalton Howser was an American Major League Baseball shortstop, coach and manager. He is best known as the manager of the Kansas City Royals during the 1980s, and for guiding them to the franchise's only World Series title in 1985.-Playing career:A native of Miami, Florida, Howser grew up...
and his teammates. (As one commentator stated, "Brett has become the first player in history to hit a game-losing home run.") Despite the furious protests of Brett and Howser, McClelland's ruling stood.
Due to fear that the bat would be taken to the American League office for inspection, Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
then gave Brett's bat to the batboy who was chased into the clubhouse by security.
Protest and reversal
The Royals protested the game, and their protest was officially heard by American LeagueAmerican League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
President Lee MacPhail
Lee MacPhail
Leland Stanford MacPhail, Jr. is an American retired front-office executive in Major League Baseball...
, who overruled McClelland's decision and restored Brett's home run.
At the time, MLB Rule 1.10(c) stated: "The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from the end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the grip. Any such material or substance, which extends past the 18-inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game." At the time, such a hit was defined in the rules as an illegally batted ball, and the penalty for hitting "an illegally batted ball" was that the batter was to be declared out, under the explicit terms of the then-existing provisions of Rule 6.06.
However, in explaining his decision, MacPhail noted that the "spirit of the restriction" on pine tar on bats was based not on the fear of unfair advantage, but simple economics; any contact with pine tar would render a ball unsuitable for play, and require that it be discarded and replaced, thus increasing the home team's cost of supplying balls for a given game. MacPhail ruled that since Brett had not violated the spirit of the rules nor deliberately "altered [the bat] to improve the distance factor."
MacPhail ordered the game resumed with two outs in the top of the ninth inning with the Royals leading 5–4. He also ruled that Brett was to be ejected
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
for his outburst against McClelland. Dick Howser was also ejected for arguing with the umpires and Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
was ejected for giving the bat to the batboy so he could hide it in the clubhouse.
Strategic maneuvering
The Yankees resisted the resumption of the game, and waited until near the end of the season to agree to it, to see if the game would have an effect on the standings or should be forfeited.After ordering the resumption of gameplay, MacPhail and other league officials held a strategy session to anticipate tricks the Yankees might use to prevent the game from continuing.
Legal battle
For the resumption of the game, the Yankees announced that they would charge non-season-ticket holders a $2.50 admission fee to attend. Two lawsuits were filed against the Yankees and Bronx Supreme CourtNew York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
(trial court) Justice Orest Maresca issued an injunction, also requested by the Yankees, preventing the game from being resumed until the lawsuits were litigated. Maresca also cited the Yankees's expressed concerns about security problems resulting from confusion over admission to the game.
That injunction was immediately appealed by the American League and was overturned by Supreme Court Appellate Division Justice Joseph Sullivan. The Royals, who were in flight during that day's legal battles, did not know that the game would be played until they arrived at the Newark airport.
The Yankees agreed to permit anybody with a ticket stub from the July 24 game to be admitted to the conclusion for free.
Game day situation
On August 18 (a scheduled off day for both teams), the game was resumed from the point of Brett's home run, with about 1,200 fans in attendance. On paper the scoring of the incident reads as follows: a home run for Brett, on the play Brett, Gaylord PerryGaylord Perry
Gaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
, Rocky Colavito
Rocky Colavito
Rocco Domenico "Rocky" Colavito, Jr. is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Cleveland Indians. He wore a #6, #7 or #21 jersey during his MLB career...
, and manager Dick Howser
Dick Howser
Richard Dalton Howser was an American Major League Baseball shortstop, coach and manager. He is best known as the manager of the Kansas City Royals during the 1980s, and for guiding them to the franchise's only World Series title in 1985.-Playing career:A native of Miami, Florida, Howser grew up...
were ejected, game suspended with two outs in the top of the ninth.
Brett himself did not attend the game, and after the team landed in New York, he departed directly for Baltimore, where the Royals were scheduled to play a four-game series—although other sources indicate Brett stayed at the Newark airport playing hearts.
A still furious Martin symbolically protested the continuation of the game by putting pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Ron Guidry
Ron Guidry
Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
in center field
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
and first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
at second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. Mattingly was ostensibly placed at second because the second baseman from the July 24 game, Bert Campaneris, was injured, and Guidry replaced original center-fielder Jerry Mumphrey, who had since been traded to the Houston Astros. By keeping Mattingly and Guidry in the game and filling-in at needed positions, Martin was able to avoid "wast[ing] a possible pinch hitter or runner."
Mattingly, a lefty, became a rare Major League southpaw second baseman; no left-hander had played second base or shortstop in a big-league game since Cleveland Indians left-handed pitcher Sam McDowell
Sam McDowell
Samuel Edward Thomas McDowell , is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball, with the first 11 coming for the Cleveland Indians before a 1971 trade to the San Francisco Giants, followed by stints with the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates...
was switched from pitcher to second base for one batter in a game in 1970 against the Washington Senators. Through June 2011, Don Mattingly remains the last left-hander to play second base in a big-league game.
Base touching affidavit
Before the first pitch to Hal McRaeHal McRae
Harold Abraham McRae is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals . Utilized as a designated hitter for most of his career, McRae batted and threw right-handed...
(who followed Brett in the lineup), pitcher George Frazier threw the first ball to first challenge Brett's home run on the grounds that Brett had not touched first. Umpire Tim Welke (given incorrectly in some sources as Tim McClelland, the original second base umpire) called safe, even though he had not officiated the July 24 game and seen the base touch. Frazier then threw to second, claiming that the base was touched by neither Brett nor U.L. Washington, the other player scoring on the home run, but umpire Dave Phillips signaled safe.
Billy Martin went on the field to protest, and Phillips pulled out a notarized affidavit, produced by MacPhail's administrative assistant Bob Fishel, signed by all four umpires from July 24 indicating that Brett had touched every base. Fishel had been the official to anticipate — or gain word — that Martin would protest the base touching and the umpires' personal knowledge of it.
Martin claimed to be surprised by the affidavit because he had spoken by telephone to the first base umpire from July 24, Drew Coble, and Coble had said that he wasn't looking at first base when Brett had circle first base. As he exited the umpires announced that the game was being played under protest by the Yankees. After leaving the field, Martin sat in the players' clubhouse watching the television police comedy Barney Miller
Barney Miller
Barney Miller is a situation comedy television series set in a New York City police station in Greenwich Village. The series originally was broadcast from January 23, 1975 to May 20, 1982 on ABC. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker...
.
Resumed game play
Yankees reliever George Frazier struck McRae out to end the top of the ninth, twenty-five days after it had begun. Dan QuisenberryDan Quisenberry
Dan Raymond "Quiz" Quisenberry was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Kansas City Royals...
then got New York out 1–2–3 in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the Royals' 5–4 win.
The loss placed the Yankees in fifth place, three and a half games out of first.
Quisenberry gained his league-leading 33rd save, while Mattingly lost a 25-game hitting streak.
After-effects
The bat is currently on display in the Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
, where it has been since 1987. During a broadcast of Mike & Mike in the Morning, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
analyst Tim Kurkjian
Tim Kurkjian
Tim Kurkjian is a Major League Baseball analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight and SportsCenter. He is also a contributor to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. He guests on Mike and Mike in the Morning on Thursdays at 7:44 AM, discussing the latest in happenings in Major League Baseball...
stated that Brett used the bat for a few games after the incident until being cautioned that the bat would be worthless if broken. Brett sold the bat to famed collector and then partial owner of the Yankees, Barry Halper, for $25,000, had second thoughts, repurchased the bat for the same amount from the collector and then donated the bat to the Hall of Fame. The home run ball was caught and sold by journalist Ephraim Schwartz to Halper for $500 plus 12 Yankees tickets, as well as Schwartz's ticket stub. Halper also acquired the signed business card of Justice Orest V. Maresca, who had issued the injunction, and the can of Oriole Pine Tar from which Brett used on the bat. Gossage later signed the pine tar ball "Barry, I threw the [expletive] thing."
The winning pitcher for the Royals was reliever Mike Armstrong
Mike Armstrong
Michael Dennis Armstrong played Major League Baseball from 1980 to 1987, mainly as a relief pitcher. Armstrong batted and threw right-handed. He played college baseball for the University of Miami....
, who went 10–7 that year in 58 appearances, notching career highs in wins and games. In a 2006 interview, Armstrong said an angry Yankees fan threw a brick from an overpass at Kansas City's bus cracking the windshield as the Royals were leaving for the airport after the resumed game. "It was wild to go back to New York and play these four outs in a totally empty stadium," Armstrong said. "I'm dressed in the uniform, and nobody's there."
Media references
Country music artist C. W. McCallC. W. McCall
C. W. McCall is the pseudonym of William Dale Fries, Jr. , an American singer, activist and politician known for his truck-themed outlaw country songs.-Biography:...
dedicated the song "Pine Tar Wars" to the event, composing a lyric that featured a quite accurate telling of the relevant facts of the story. The lyric is strongly critical of Billy Martin (Baby Billy).