Brett's Pine Tar Incident

[futurehalloffamer]

Did Gerorge Brett's 1983 Pine Tar incident hurt the way people viewed him? He went absolutely ballistic, but he is still a much loved figure in the history of baseball. I even think it made people like him more.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Did Gerorge Brett's 1983 Pine Tar incident hurt the way people viewed him? He went absolutely ballistic, but he is still a much loved figure in the history of baseball. I even think it made people like him more.

Doesn't matter one way or the other. I just like the image of him flailing out of the dugout, hair pressed back from the wind, and screaming his arse off.

It's a bogus rule anyway. Unless the pine tar is up on the barrel, there shouldn't be an issue, and even there, it's debatable whether it actually helps or not.

[KCGHOST]

I don't think it meant squat as to how people viewed him.

[Brian McKenna]

i was more impressed with billy martin than i was brett - smart managerial move

[FrenchyLefebvre]

Wasn't it Gaylord Perry who tried to hide the bat? LOL

As irate as he was that day, Brett had nothing on poor Dave Winfield, though. That same summer ('83), Dave hit a seagull with a batted ball in Toronto & got hauled off to the authorities for (accidentally) killing it.
SportsTalk Radio in my town had some real field days with that one (more joking than anything), so I can't imagine what it was like in Toronto ...

[SHOELESSJOE3]

As irate as he was that day, Brett had nothing on poor Dave Winfield, though. That same summer ('83), Dave hit a seagull with a batted ball in Toronto & got hauled off to the authorities for (accidentally) killing it.
.

Actually it was a ball thrown by Winfield. Dave was warming up in the outfield between innings, playing catch with the bat boy if I recall. It was his last toss to the boy because the inning was about to begin and it happened.

Foolish move by Ontario Provincial Police. Taking Dave down to the police station, booking him and having him post bail. Of course the charge was dropped later.

[runningshoes]

Actually it was a ball thrown by Winfield. Dave was warming up in the outfield between innings, playing catch with the bat boy if I recall. It was his last toss to the boy because the inning was about to begin and it happened.

Foolish move by Ontario Provincial Police. Taking Dave down to the police station, booking him and having him post bail. Of course the charge was dropped later.

Winfield "tossed" the ball and killed a seagull?

Not likely.

[julusnc]

Yes he threw the ball.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Winfield "tossed" the ball and killed a seagull?

Not likely.

Not likely but it did happen. The account of what happened appeared in newspapers, why is it hard to believe. Some who saw the point of impact say it hit the seagull in the head..

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Joe,

He probably thought you meant "toss" as in, how you would toss a ball to your son while he's batting. He threw the ball. Seagull dead. Game over.

[runningshoes]

Not likely but it did happen. The account of what happened appeared in newspapers, why is it hard to believe. Some who saw the point of impact say it hit the seagull in the head..

I know it happened, but there's no way he simply tossed the ball to a kid and the seagull died.

There had to have been significant velocity.

[Blackout]

remember when Randy Johnson killed that bird?

[Sultan_1895-1948]

I know it happened, but there's no way he simply tossed the ball to a kid and the seagull died.

There had to have been significant velocity.

lol, that's what he meant dude. If I say "I could eat a horse," don't hold me to it, k.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

remember when Randy Johnson killed that bird?

Did anyone ever calculate the odds of that one? Christ, how many things have to align perfectly. Something as simple as him adjusting his shoe would have avoided that. Or throwing a slider instead of a fastball, or that bird looking both ways, lol.

Kinda like that lady who was hit by a foul ball. And then when she was being carried off on a stretcher, she was hit by another foul ball !!

[Bluesteve32]

remember when Randy Johnson killed that bird?

Randy did not kill that bird! It is a well known fact that the bird in question commiitted suicide. It was reported that he was under severe depression and was suffering huge financial losses due to gambling. Randy Johnson was not supable, just happend to be the one throwing the ball.