Pine Tar!!!!!

The “Pine Tar Game” took place on July 24, 1983, at Yankee Stadium in New York City, between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals. It was a lazy Sunday at SUBASE Bangor, where I was stationed and I had the barracks longue to myself and the game on…

In the top of the ninth inning, with the Royals trailing 4-3, George Brett, a star player for the Royals, came up to bat against Yankees relief pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage. With two outs, Brett hit a two-run home run that gave the Royals the lead, 5-4.

However, Yankees manager Billy Martin noticed something unusual on Brett’s bat as he crossed home plate. The pine tar, a sticky substance used by hitters to improve their grip on the bat, appeared to be applied more than the permissible limit according to the rules. The rule at the time stated that pine tar could not exceed 18 inches from the tip of the bat handle. Brett’s bat clearly exceeded this limit.

Upon Martin’s request, the umpires inspected Brett’s bat. After measuring the pine tar, they ruled that the bat indeed violated the rule, and Brett’s home run was nullified. According to the rules, any batter found using an illegally “doctored” bat would be called out, and all runners would return to the bases they occupied at the time of the pitch.

George Brett was furious, and his explosive reaction is one of the most memorable moments in baseball history. He charged out of the dugout in a heated argument with the umpires, displaying his displeasure over the call. The scene became an iconic image of the Pine Tar Game.

After the protests settled, the game resumed later that year on August 18, 1983, with the Royals leading 5-4 in the top of the ninth inning. The game concluded without any further incidents, and the Royals held on to win the game.

Ultimately, the Pine Tar Game left a lasting legacy in baseball lore. The ruling on Brett’s bat led to a significant change in the rules. In 1984, MLB decided to modify the rule concerning pine tar, stating that any future infractions would result in the removal of the bat from the game, but the batter would not be called out. The Pine Tar Game remains one of the most debated and discussed moments in baseball history, and George Brett’s passion and outrage have become part of the sport’s legend.