There is a little known rule that is rarely enforced regarding the use of pine tar on the bat. The rule states "The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from the end, may be covered or treated with any material (including pine tar) to improve the grip. Any such material, including pine tar, which extends past the 18 inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game." In the game in 1983, the Royals were losing by one run to the Yankees with two outs and a runner on first in ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. George Brett stepped to the plate and hit a home run to give the Royals a 5-4 lead.

Brett was a clutch player, but hitting a home run off of Yankees dominant closer Goose Gossage was an unusual event in itself. That was not nearly as odd as what would happen next. Yankees manager Billy Martin would approach home plate umpire (Tim McClelland) and appealed Brett's home run because of how much pine tar was on his bat. The umpire measured the bat against the 17-inch width of home plate and discovered pine tar up to 23 inches from the knob (5 inches further than the rule allowed). He then ruled the home run illegal and the batter out, thus ending the game with the Yankees winning, 4-3.

As the umpire made his ruling, Brett seemingly lost his mind and temper. In a surreal moment with his eyes bugging out and his face red, he charged the field looking to take out his anger on umpire McClelland. Luckily another umpire intercepted Brett and he was prevented from doing something he might later regret. Here is the video footage of the entire event...

The Royals protested the game, and American League president Lee MacPhail upheld the protest, reasoning that Brett's bat should have been excluded from future use but the home run should not have been nullified. Amid much controversy, the game was resumed on August 18 from the point of Brett's home run (with two outs in the 9th inning and the Royals now leading 5-4) Justly, it ended with a Royals win. The bat should have been ejected from the game, not the player. The umpires should have known better and this whole "incident" should've never happened.

I guee that all's well, that ends well. Either way, the footage of the "Pine Tar Incident" is very entertaining and 27 years later is still one of the most unforgettable baseball moments from my lifetime. And yep, you guessed it, it happened back in the 80s.

That'll wrap up this short issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the Fan Page where I ask you to then click on the "Like" button. Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. You can also follow Old School on Twitter by clicking on the FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER LOGO also in the upper right hand column. This will take you the page and you can just click on the box that says "Follow". I am sending daily 80s tweets, so sign up to get those. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.

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Quote of the day: "Stress is caused by being 'here' but wanting to be 'there'." -Eckhart Tolle