Sounds like a fill-in-the-blank winner.That's when we should have known steroids were becoming a problem because THAT was serious 'roid rage.
It sure was....BTW, that pine-tar ruling was absolutely ridiculous.
The Royals protested the game and their protest was upheld by American League president Lee MacPhail. MacPhail (who coincidentally had once been the Yankees' chief executive) ruled that while the bat was illegal, it didn't violate the "spirit of the rules." He added that the bat was not "altered to improve the distance factor", and that the rules only provided for removal of the bat from the game, not calling the batter out.
He ruled correctly that the bat was illegal, but his ruling that the batter should be called out was incorrect.Actually McLellan ruled correctly by the book. The commissioner ruled by the spirit of the book when he overruled the ump.
Rule 1.10c states:
(c) The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its 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.
NOTE: If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to (c) above until a time during or after which the bat has been used in play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out, or ejected from the game.
I can't really remember for sure but I think that was the national game of the week on NBC. I think I watched it happen, but can't remember for sure.
ramy,
you made me smile. I'm glad that i am not the only one who's memory is playing tricks on them these days.