Kansas City Royals: George Brett and the Pine Tar Game
By David Hill
George Brett is remembered for his run at a .400 batting average and his fiery temper. On this day in 1983, that explosive temper was on full display as the Kansas City Royals star had to be restrained from attacking an umpire in what became known as the Pine Tar Game.
Through the end of the 1970’s and into the early 1980’s, the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees had one of the healthier rivalries in baseball. The two teams met in the American League Championship Game four times from 1976 through 1980, with the Yankees winning the first three before Kansas City broke through in the fourth meeting.
Those games were contentious affairs, highlighted by the moment that George Brett punched Graig Nettles in the face in the first inning of Game Five in the 1977 ALCS. Remarkably, neither player was ejected, but the Yankees once again held off the upstart Royals.
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Moving ahead to 1983, the two teams were heading in different directions. The Yankees were beginning their slide towards the mediocrity that would encompass the majority of the decade, while the Royals were still very much a perennial contender for the postseason. That did not change the nature of the rivalry, however, as there was still a healthy degree of loathing on both sides.
With that history between the clubs, it is fitting that the Pine Tar Game involved the Yankees. With the Royals trailing 4-3 in the ninth, and a runner on first with two outs, Brett hit a two run home run off of Goose Gossage for what was potentially a game winning home run. As Brett rounded the bases, Yankees manager Billy Martin made a beeline for the umpire, arguing that there was too much pine tar on the bat. After measuring the bat against home plate, the umpires concurred, calling Brett out.
That moment will forever be known as Mistake Number One. Brett flew out of the dugout in a murderous rage, and had to be psychically restrained from attacking the umpire. Gaylord Perry attempted to steal the bat and was caught, leading to his ejection. The Royals immediately protested the game, and in what is a rare occurrance, had their appeal upheld. American League President Lee McPhail agreed that Brett broke the rule, but that the home run should stand. The rule was also rewritten to avoid confusion, and focus on the ‘spirit of the rule.’
Now, it was Martin’s turn to be enraged. As he generally found the umpires to be incompetent, having the one time that he felt they did their job right to be overturned was quite the insult. When the game was resumed, he placed Ron Guidry in center and had Don Mattingly at second, marking the last time a left handed player manned a middle infield position.
Martin had also planned to appeal at each base that Brett had not touched the bag, but was headed off by a notarized affidavit stating that each base was touched. The rest of the game passed without incident, and the Kansas City Royals ended up with that expected 5-4 victory.
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George Brett is still considered for many people to be the face of the Kansas City Royals. On this day in 1983, he also became the poster child for what a true meltdown should be in baseball.