George Brett Pine Tar Game Enhanced Box Score

On July 24, 1983 George Brett took center stage in one of baseball's most controversial incidents which has been dubbed the Pine Tar Game. This highly unusual incident involved George Brett of the Kansas City Royals, Billy Martin of the New York Yankees, a home run in Yankee Stadium, a bat with pine tar on the handle, and the umpires' interpretation of the rules.

Rule 1.10(b) reads: the bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from the end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the grip. Any such material or substance, which extends past the 18-inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game. Umpire Tim McClelland ruled that Brett's bat had "heavy pine tar" 19 to 20 inches from the tip of the handle and lighter pine tar for another three or four inches.

The circumstances which led to the ruling occurred after Brett hit a two-out two-run homer during the ninth inning off closer Goose Gossage which gave the Royals a 5-4 lead. After crossing home plate, Brett went into his dugout, sat on the bench, and watched as Yankees' manager Billy Martin approached home plate umpire Tim McClelland. The umpiring crew conferred at home plate and measured Brett's bat up against the front side of home plate. McClelland eventually signaled that Brett was out and the infuriated thirdbaseman rushed from the bench in an attempt to attack both McClelland and Martin.

Brett was quickly ejected and Royals' manager Dick Howser argued the call, but McClelland's ruling stood and the home run was nullified resulting in a 4-3 Yankees win. The Royals protested the game and American League president Lee MacPhail overruled the umpire's decision and said that Brett 's home run stood and that the game was to be resumed.

Three weeks, four days, four hours, and fourteen minutes later the Pine Tar Game was resumed and the Royals won after closer Dan Quisenberry shut the door on the Yankees (part two took 12 minutes total time) to preserve a 5-4 Armstrong victory. The box score below is a reflection of the historic game as it stood after it was classified suspended.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"Prior to 1983, I was always ridiculed at ballparks about an ailment (hemorrhoids) I had during the 1980 World Series. Now, since 1983, I'm always known as the Pine Tar Guy. Now what would you rather be known as?" - George Brett

Pine Tar Game

Pine Tar Game Pine Tar Game Pine Tar Game
George Brett Leaving the Dugout George Brett Held Back Measuring The Pine Tar Bat

George Brett

Name Pos AB R H RBI
Willie Wilson cf 3 0 0 0
Pat Sheridan ph-cf 2 0 0 0
U.L. Washington ss 5 1 1 0
George Brett 3b 5 1 3 2
Greg Pryor 3b 0 0 0 0
Hal McRae dh 4 0 0 0
Amos Otis rf 4 0 1 0
John Wathan 1b-lf 3 2 1 0
Leon Roberts lf 3 0 2 0
Willie Aikens ph-1b 1 0 0 0
Joe Simpson lf 0 0 0 0
Frank White 2b 4 1 2 2
Don Slaught c 4 0 3 1
Bud Black p 0 0 0 0
Mike Armstrong p 0 0 0 0
Dan Quisenberry p 0 0 0 0
Totals 38 5 13 5
Name Pos AB R H RBI
Bert Campaneris 2b 4 1 2 0
Ken Griffey 1b 0 0 0 0
Graig Nettles 3b 3 0 0 0
Lou Piniella rf 4 1 1 0
Jerry Mumphrey cf 0 0 0 0
Butch Wynegar c 0 0 0 0
Don Baylor dh 4 1 1 2
Dave Winfield cf-lf 4 1 3 2
Steve Kemp lf-rf 4 0 0 0
Steve Balboni 1b 2 0 0 0
Don Mattingly ph-1b-2b 1 0 0 0
Roy Smalley ss 3 0 1 0
Rick Cerone c 2 0 0 0
Ron Guidry cf 0 0 0 0
Oscar Gamble ph 0 0 0 0
Shane Rawley p 0 0 0 0
Dale Murray p 0 0 0 0
Rich Gossage p 0 0 0 0
George Frazier p 0 0 0 0
Totals 31 4 8 4

Double Play: New York 1.
Home Runs: Winfield, Brett.
Left On Base: Kansas City 8, New York 5.
Triples: White, Slaught, Baylor.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Kansas City 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 5 13 0
New York 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 8 0
Name IP H R ER BB SO
Bud Black 6.0 7 4 4 0 2
Mike Armstrong 2.0 1 0 0 2 0
Dan Quisenberry 1.0 0 0 0 0 0
Name IP H R ER BB SO
Shane Rawley 5.1 10 3 3 2 2
Dale Murray 3.1 2 1 1 0 2
a-Rich Gossage 0.0 1 1 1 0 0
George Frazier 0.1 0 0 0 0 1

a: Pitched to one batter in 9th inning.

Losing Pitcher: Game Suspended.
Winning Pitcher: Game Suspended.

Attendance: 33,944.
Length of Game: 2:52.
Umpires: HP: Tim McClelland, 1B: Joe Brinkman, 2B:Drew Coble, 3B:Nick Bremigan.
George Brett Pine Tar Game | July 24, 1983 | Yankee Stadium

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Trivia alert: Billy Martin has often been wrongly credited with starting the whole incident, but it was actually Graig Nettles who brought up the pine tar! Rich Gossage later said, "Graig knew the rule. The ump did his job. Everybody thought it was silly, but it's in the rules."

George Brett

When American League president Lee MacPhail upheld the protest ruling that George Brett's bat did not violate "the spirit of the rules", Yankees owner George Steinbrenner replied, "I wouldn't want to be Lee MacPhail living in New York!"

Did you know that when the Pine Tar Game was finally resumed, the New York Yankees "voiced" their disapproval by playing pitcher Ron Guidry in centerfield and outfielder Don Mattingly (a lefthander) at second base?