The Pine-Tar Game

Today, July 24th, is the 25th anniversary of the “Pine Tar Game” between the Yankees and Royals.

The Yankees were leading the Royals 4-3 when Kansas City slugger George Brett blasted a 2-run homer off New York closer Rich “Goose” Gossage to give the Royals a 5-4 lead.

After Brett crossed the plate and was congratulated by his teammates, Yankee catcher Rick Cerone picked up Brett’s bat and showed it to the umpires, who ruled that the pine tar applied to his bat ran too far up from the knob (MLB rules indicate that no foreign substance can be applied 18 inches from the knob). Umpire Tim McClelland disallowed the home run and called Brett out. The infuriated Brett burst from the visitor’s dugout and might have stampeded McClelland had he not been held back by other players.

The game was immediately protested by Royals manager Dick Howser, and the incident reviewed by American League President Lee MacPhail. MacPhail decided that the rule book only called for the removal of a bat, and that the pine tar on Brett’s bat did not improve the distance of the fly ball hit (a V-Grip might have, though!). MacPhail overturned McClelland’s ruling, stating that the home run would stand and the game would have to be re-played from that point forward.

On August 18th, the Yankees and Royals re-played the last four outs of the game. Don Mattingly, who had pinch-hit for Steve Balboni during the game’s original date, was positioned at second base by manager Billy Martin, and ace pitcher Ron Guidry played centerfield. It was only the second time in MLB history that a lefthanded thrower played second base.

Donnie, by the way, used to play second base (as a righthander!) in high school.