Pine Tar Incident

The Pine Tar Incident (also known as the Pine Tar Game) was a controversial incident during an American League game played between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees on July 24, 1983 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. With his team trailing 4–3 in the top half of the ninth inning, George Brett of the Royals hit a 2-run home run to give his team the lead. However, Yankees manager Billy Martin, who had noticed a large amount of pine tar on Brett's bat, requested that the umpires inspect his bat. The umpires ruled that the amount of pine tar on the bat exceeded the amount allowed by rule, nullified Brett's home run, and called him out. As Brett was the third out in the ninth inning with the home team in the lead, the game ended with a Yankees win.

The Royals protested the game, and American League president Lee MacPhail upheld their protest and ordered that the game be restarted from the point of Brett's home run. The game was restarted on August 18 and officially ended with the Royals winning 5–4.

Read more about Pine Tar Incident:  The Incident, Protest and Reversal, Media References

Famous quotes containing the words pine, tar and/or incident:

    A few pieces of fat pine were a great treasure. It is interesting to remember how much of this food for fire is still concealed in the bowels of the earth.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    A thorough tar is unfit for any thing else; and what is more, this fact is the best evidence of his being a true sailor.
    Herman Melville (1819–1891)

    What is character but the determination of incident? What is incident but the illustration of character?
    Henry James (1843–1916)