Pete Rose is banned from baseball for gambling on the games. He played hard and never backed down from a fight. Ergo: Pete Rose vs. Bud Harrelson (Oct. 8, 1973, NLCS)
The Mets were blowing out the Reds, 9-2, in Game 3 of the NLCS, as Cincinnati came to bat in the top of the fifth. After pitcher Roger Nelson grounded out, Pete Rose came to bat and singled off of Jerry Koosman. Next up: Joe Morgan. He grounded to first, and the Mets pulled off a 3-6-3 double play.
But Rose slid hard to break up the double play, barreling into Harrelson and taking him down. Obviously, the tactic didn't succeed, although it did result in a wrestling match between Rose and Harrelson and a 10-minute brawl that cleared both benches. The highlight of the melee came when Pedro Borbon ripped apart a Mets cap with his teeth.
When Rose took his position in left in the bottom of the fifth, Mets fans honored him with the traditional hated-player shower of garbage and beer bottles. Rose braved those conditions briefly, but took cover in the dugout when a whiskey bottle came a little too close. Sparky Anderson took the rest of the players off the field, and the Mets were almost forced to forfeit the game. After pleas from Tom Seaver and Willie Mays, city cops surrounded the field, fans calmed down, and play resumed.
Rose had no apologies. "I'm no damn little girl out there," he said. "I'm supposed to give the fans their money's worth and try to bust up double plays -- and shortstops."
Harrelson and Rose eventually made up, with the two getting together to autograph photos of the fight.
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