ON THIS DAY: JULY 24, 1983

ON THIS DAY: July 24, 1983. George Brett of the Kansas City Royals was accused of having to much pine tar on his bat after hitting what appeared to be a two run go ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning off New York Yankees reliever Goose Gossage and putting his Royals up 5-4 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Yankees manager Billy Martin asked the umpiring crew, led by Tim McClelland, to review Brett’s bat for a potential pine tar infraction. After examining the bat, home-plate umpire Tim McLelland ruled that Brett used excessive pine tar and called him out, overturning the home run and ending the game and preserving the Yanks’ 4-3 victory.

Then before a stunned Sunday afternoon crowd of 33,944, Brett blew his top, charging out of the dugout like he was shot from a cannon and having to be restrained by both teammates and umpires.

The Royals appealed the play, and American League President Larry MacPhail ruled that the home run should count. The bat should have been removed not the player. The game was restarted nearly a month later, on Aug. 18, with the Royals leading 5-4. Closer Dan Quisenberry retired the Yankees in the bottom of the ninth to save the game for Kansas City.