Braves vs. Padres (Aug. 12, 1984)
This was more like a slugfest and beanball war that was occasionally interrupted by a baseball game. It all started on the first pitch of the game, when Atlanta's Pascual Perez hit Alan Wiggins. Payback came for Perez in the second inning, when Ed Whitson threw behind his head. When Perez waved his bat at Whitson, the benches emptied in for the first brawl of the game. That one would be followed by fights in the fifth, eighth and ninth innings, some started when the Padres continued to throw at Perez every time he came to bat. When the dust had cleared, 14 had been ejected, including Braves manager Joe Torre and Padres manager Dick Williams. Five fans who'd joined in the fun in the late innings were arrested.
Joe Torre had some unkind words after it was all over. "Dick Williams is an idiot," he said. "It was obvious he was the cause of the whole thing. Precipitating a thing like that was inexcusable. It was stupid of them, period, to take four shots at Perez. It was gutless. It stinks. It was Hitler-like action. I think he (Williams) should be suspended for the rest of the year."
Said umpire crew chief John McSherry, "I would think it was one of the stranger days I've ever seen, if not the strangest."
1 comment:
I remember watching it. Couldn't believe how long it went on with the "chin music" being provided by multiple pitchers from both teams.
Craig Nettles and Bob Horner come to mind, from that game. Slip
Post a Comment