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- ⚾ A Fight to Remember: Yankees vs. Red Sox, May 20, 1976
⚾ A Fight to Remember: Yankees vs. Red Sox, May 20, 1976
The Brawl That Cost the Red Sox (their Ace) More Than the Yankees
A Fight to Remember: Yankees vs. Red Sox, May 20, 1976
It was supposed to be just another chapter in the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry. But by the end of May 20, 1976, it had become one of the most infamous brawls in baseball history—and a costly one for Boston.
Red Sox pitcher Bill “Spaceman” Lee was locked in a tight duel with the Yankees when tensions boiled over in the sixth. Dwight Evans fired a strike from right field to cut down Lou Piniella at the plate. But when Piniella plowed into Carlton Fisk, the fiery catcher retaliated—and chaos erupted.
Lee, rushing to the scene, was tackled by Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles and landed hard on his pitching shoulder. As Lee writhed on the ground, Mickey Rivers added a few punches for good measure. The result? A torn shoulder ligament that derailed Lee’s season.
Despite the injury, the Red Sox rallied behind a fired-up clubhouse. Rick Burleson homered, and Carl Yastrzemski added two more blasts as Boston pulled away for an 8–2 win. But the damage was done. Lee, who had won 17 games each of the past three seasons, was sidelined for much of the year.
The fight didn’t end that day. Nettles later mocked Lee’s black eye by referencing Lee’s own past insults: “I wanted to make sure he wasn’t hit with any purse.”
This was no ordinary rivalry. This was war in pinstripes and red socks—and the scars, both physical and emotional, would last for years.
Today’s line up: Click to Listen
May 20, 1950 Pittsburgh Pirates at Brooklyn Dodgers
May 20, 1960 New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox
May 20, 1962 New York Mets at Milwaukee Braves
May 20, 1967 St Louis Cardinals at New York Mets
May 20, 1969 Oakland Athletics at New York Yankees
This Week in Baseball May 20, 1989
Did you know?
May 20, 1941 -- Lefty Grove of the Boston Red Sox wins his 20th consecutive game at Fenway Park, the longest home park streak in the major leagues, in a 4 - 2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
TRIVIA:
Which former Dodger pitcher broke Luis Tiant’s record for opponents’ lowest batting average in any season?
Hint: Answer below
May 20, 1945, At Sportsman Park one-armed outfielder Pete Gray of the St. Louis Browns enjoys an incredible day against the New York Yankees. Gray makes three outstanding catches, collects four hits, drives in two runs, and scores the game-winning run during a doubleheader sweep of the Yankees.Learn more!
May 20, 1951, Richie Ashburn of the Philadelphia Phillies collects four hits in each game of a doubleheader. he goes 4-for-6 and 4-for-5, all singles. The offensive barrage by the future Hall of Famer helps the Phillies sweep the rival Pittsburgh Pirates, 17-0 and 12-4, at Forbes Field. Richie Ashburn greatest sports thrill
May 20, 1953, the Milwaukee Braves play their 13th home game and surpass the attendance total for the previous season, when the franchise played in Boston. The crowd at County Stadium raises Milwaukee’s attendance to 281,278 for the current season.
May 20, 1968, California Angels shortstop Jim Fregosi hits for the cycle during a 5-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The cycle is the second of Fregosi’s career, tying him with several other players for the major league record. In total there are 34 players who have hit for the Cycle more than once in their career as of May 20, 2019. Bob Elson Interviews Jim Fregosi on October 4, 1980
May 20, 1978 -- Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a 535-foot home run into the 300 club deck level in right field off Montreal Expos pitcher Wayne Twitchell to highlight a 6 - 0 victory at Stade Olympic. The expos replaced the red seat with a yellow seat to commemorate the blast. It is now on display in the Canadian baseball hall of fame. Stargell's 407th career home run, tying him with Duke Snider on the career all-time list. Stargell interview 1975
May 20, 1983, In a 5-0 loss to San Diego, Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Steve Carlton passes Walter Johnson to move into second place on the all-time strikeout list. Johnson's record had survived for 56 years. Carlton’s four strikeouts put him at 3,511, just 10 behind Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros. Ryan had bettered Johnson’s record earlier in the month. Carlton will finish the season in front of the Astros' right-hander as the all-time career leader with 3,709 at the end of the 1983 season.
May 20, 1985, a game between the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers scheduled for Municipal Stadium is postponed due to rain, representing the first rainout of the 1985 season. The cancellation marks the latest point that the first rainout of a season has taken place. A record 458 games had been played prior to the initial rainout.
May 20, 2006 -- After a 29 at-bats homerless drought, Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hits a home run in an interleague game against the Oakland Athletics, tying his home run count with that of Babe Ruth at 714. The ball is hit at the McAfee Coliseum against pitcher Brad Halsey, a left-hander. Because of interleague play, Bonds is the designated hitter rather than his normal spot in the outfield.
Quote of the day:
After the brawl where Nettles separated Bill Lee's throwing shoulder, Lee said, "We won the battle, but lost the war of 1976”
Milestones
Birthdays:Highlights: Bobby Murcer | Debuts:Notable: Don Newcombe |
Final Games:Highlights: Manny Trillo | Passings:Notable: Pete Runnels |
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