List of Violent Spectator Incidents in Sports - 1949

1949

• August 21 – During a National League game between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Giants, New York was ahead 3–2 with one out in the top of the ninth inning of the second game of a doubleheader when umpire George Barr ruled that Richie Ashburn had missed a diving catch of a ball off the bat of Joe Lafata, scoring Willard Marshall with the fourth run. The Philadelphia players complained, but when the call was not reversed, Philadelphia fans threw glass bottles onto the field, and the barrage continued despite pleas over the public address system; umpire Lee Ballanfant was hit in the mouth by a bottle and umpire Al Barlick was hit in the back of the head by a tomato. After waiting for fifteen minutes, Barlick ruled the game a forfeit to the Giants.