Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #24. Joe Niekro gets caught with emery
No matter if it’s on the major league level, minor league, college, high school or even at your neighborhood park, a baseball is a baseball.
During the 1987 season, however, something looked a bit off. For pitchers, getting a good grip on the ball is vital to their success. To help placate those issues, they are often seen reaching down to grab a bit of dirt to rub on the ball in an effort to enhance their grip. With the MLB banning pine tar, a thick gooey substance that helped in that effort, Joe Niekro decided to get a bit creative.
While standing out on the mound ready to deliver a pitch, the umpires decided to halt the game and take a closer look. They grabbed the ball with which he threw his latest pitch and noticed several scuff marks. From there, they asked to take a look at his gloves. A seemingly pissed off Niekro angrily handed over his glove but nothing was found. They then moved on to asking him to empty his pockets. Knowing he was caught red handed, Niekro pulled off a slick move, he reached into his back pockets, quickly tossed something away and acted as if his pockets were empty.
The mysterious object he attempted to get rid of was emery and a piece of sandpaper.
No matter how fast he thought he was, the umpire saw exactly what he did and tossed him from the game. When ultimately asked to explain himself, Niekro claimed that he always had those objects to file down his nails during the game. No, this isn’t hyperbole. It was an awful excuse and it brought a ton of shame and controversy to his Hall of Fame career. Was that the first time he ever used it or was that the first time he was caught? It brought everything into question.