The Pine Tar Incident
Despite George Brett’s decade-long career as an elite baseball player, most people remember him for the Pine Tar Incident which happened on July 24, 1983. The Pine Tar Incident took place during an American League Baseball game played between Brett’s team – the Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees. Playing at the Yankee Stadium in New York City, the Royals were trailing 4–3 in the top half of the ninth inning, with two outs.
(Original Caption) 7/24/1983: George Brett argues with the umpires who ruled out his two-run homer after an examination of his bat showed that the pine tar had exceeded the allowable area.
However, before the start of the game, Yankees manager, Billy Martin, had noticed that Brett’s bat had more pine tar than was permissible. As Brett crossed the plate, Martin requested that the umpires examine his bat. After the umpires discussed the situation and did some measurements, they concluded the bat violated Rule 1.10(c), and that the pine tar on Brett’s bat exceeded the amount allowed by rule.