Retro Teachable - McClelland & Brett's Pine Tar Game

Today's Retro Teachable handles a sticky situation. The "pine tar" game was the confrontation heard around baseball: George Howard Brett was ejected seven times in his career in 2747 games as a player and Tim McClelland 76 as an umpire in 4,236 regular season games, but none sent shock waves around the sports world like McClelland's ejection of Brett on July 24, 1983. That date is better known as the Pine Tar Incident. If you're a fan of Seinfeld you'll know incidents aren't a good thing.

Having only called 72 games over two big league seasons before the '83 campaign, George Brett was Tim McClelland's first career big league ejection. How's that for a how-do-you-do? Read on to see how it went down.

By now, the story is lore: Royals slugger Brett in the top of the ninth against the Yankees turns a one run deficit into a one-run lead with a two-run homer off Hall of Famer Goose Gossage. Brett, a HOFer himself, rounds the bases, but even before he's touched home, Bronx Bombers skipper Billy Martin is pointing to Brett's bat, which is now in the hands of home plate umpire McClelland.

Brinkman's crew discusses Brett's pine tar bat.

McClelland looks like he knows that the pine tar rule has been violated, but calls in his crew mates for a consult. The Crew Chief—2B Umpire Joe Brinkman—1B Umpire Drew Coble, and 3B Umpire Nick Bremigan get together, which in the early 80s was virtually UNHEARD OF (McClelland later recounted that Bremigan was the crew's "rules guy" and thus an invaluable resource for this sticky situation). Brinkman takes total control, rids the crew of players and managers and gets in a discussion with his partners. At this point, it's hard to believe he was only in his 11th year in the American League, for he already had a World Series and two ALCS under his belt.

When you huddle like this, it's best to go over all things possible and when you eventually make your decision, it's important that people know their post huddle responsibilities. Before the crew breaks up, all four umpires should know exactly where and what they will do next.

McClelland lays Brett's bat along home plate.

In this case, we go down the golden road to home plate to measure the bat. Why is that? Home plate is 17 inches wide. At the time Rule 1.10(c) of the Major League Baseball rule book, stated, "a bat may not be covered by such a substance more than 18 inches from the tip of the handle" (OBR 3.02(c) currently states, "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 that extends past the 18- inch limitation shall cause the bat to be removed from the game").

Thus, if home plate is 17 inches, most people should be able to add an inch with relative ease.

Chaos breaks out after the pine tar out call.

Based on McClelland's measurement, he correctly (per 1983 rules) calls Brett out, the Royals eventually protest and the ruckus ensues, as McClelland adds to his ejection slate with Rocky Colavito, Dick Howser, and Gaylord Perry (after the umpires confiscated Brett's bat, Perry attempted to steal it away).

The ruling was summarily flipped by American League President Lee MacPhail (Pronounced Mac-Fail), who cited past precedent as his reason for allowing the protest to stand...and that's where Tim Welke comes in.

Wait, What? Welke and his crew led by Davey Phillips signaled "safe" when the game resumed on August 18, 1983, when Martin appealed that Brett missed every base. Back on July 24, Brinkman's crew had signed an affidavit attesting to the observation that all bases were touched—And you thought it couldn't get any more crazy that a guy charging at an umpire from the dugout!

The Playing Rules Committee subsequently, and hastily, added a provision into then-Rule 1.10(c)/now-Rule 3.02(c) stating, "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."

Naturally, this regulation did not exist in 1983—the procedure back then, prior to the rules change, was to declare the offender out and to confiscate the bat! The George Brett-Tim McClelland pine tar game (and McPhail's protest ruling that contradicted the rule on the books at the time) singlehandedly forced MLB to change this rule. Otherwise, McPhail's decision would have truly been anarchist.

McPhail's affirmation of Kansas City's protest angered Yankees manager Billy Martin so much that when a slew of legal challenges by New York didn't prove successful in the court system, Martin turned the resumption-of-play portion of the game into a mockery, assigning pitcher Ron Guidry to center field and placing left-handed first baseman Don Mattingly at second base.

As for McClelland, though, he got the call right per the rule as written at the time.

Hey if you want to learn how to handle situations like this and more check out the banner above and see if the Professional Umpire Camp (PUC) is for you. Until next time Happy Umpiring everyone!!

Video as follows:

Retirement of MLB Umpire Tim McClelland

Veteran MLB Umpire Tim McClelland has retired from baseball's full-time umpire roster. McClelland retires after a 33-year career in the American League (1981-99) and in Major League Baseball (2000-2013).*

Retiring MLB Umpire Tim McClelland

The second-tallest umpire at the time of his retirement (tallest: Jordan Baker), McClelland concludes his illustrious MLB career with 77 ejections, spanning from his first career ejection on July 24, 1983, of Royals infielder George Brett for using a doctored bat as part of the infamous "pine tar game." Lost in the tale of the tape was the story of McClelland's other three ejections that day: Kansas City Manager Dick Howser, coach Rocky Colavito, and pitcher Gaylord Perry, for interfering with the umpires' confiscation by stealing Brett's bat.

Over the years, McClelland ejected Hall of Famers and other legendary ballplayers, including Yankees catcher-turned-manager Yogi Berra, Orioles ironman Cal Ripken, future broadcaster Joe Morgan, PED poster children Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, future boss Joe Torre and scores of others in between.

McClelland presided over David Wells' perfect game in 1998 and tied with fellow crew chief Tom Hallion for taking part in (being on the field for) the most no-hitters amongst active umpires—seven. He participated in three All-Star Games (1986, '98, 2003) and 15 postseasons, reaching the Fall Classic in 1993, 2000, 2002 and 2006. He made the playoff roster every year from 2000 through 2009, when multiple missed calls in Anaheim's AL Championship Series hit the front pages of mainstream sports media.

McClelland's final career ejection occurred June 9, 2012, when he ousted Oakland Athletics Manager Bob Melvin for arguing balls and strikes (QOC = Correct).

*McClelland's final game was in September 2013 as he spent the 2014 season as a member of the full-time MLB staff, but on the Disabled List.

As part of McClelland's retirement, 2014 acting crew chiefs Jerry Meals and Larry Vanover have been permanently promoted to the Crew Chief position.

Baseball Rules in the Real World: Multiple Mound Visits

UEFL continues its umpiring series "Baseball Rules in the Real World" with Multiple Mound Visits, a look back at two instances (one inadvertent yet not incidental) of a manager visiting the mound twice during the same at-bat, or at-bat intermission.

The first situation is the easier one. LAA-HOU, May 9, 2013: As Angels left-handed batter JB Shuck stood on deck in the top of the 7th inning of a close game, Astros manager Bo Porter relieved his right-handed pitcher, Paul Clemens from the game, replacing him with southpaw Wesley Wright for the coveted lefty-lefty matchup. Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia countered Porter's move by pinch hitting for Shuck with righty Luis Jimenez so as to restore the lefty-righty duel. As a result, Porter revisited the mound and removed Wright from the game, replacing him with the right-handed Hector Ambriz for a righty-righty face-off.

One problem—Wright hadn't thrown a single pitch. As Scioscia stormed out of the visiting dugout to argue with crew chief Fieldin Culbreth, Ambriz warmed up and after umpire discussion, he was allowed to remain in the game. Scioscia's Angels elected to play the game under protest, a game that, had the Angels lost, would have resulted in the first upheld MLB protest in over 20 years.

Here's why: When Wright—whom all sources confirm was not injured or otherwise incapacitated—left the game without pitching to a single batter, the Astros violated OBR Rule 3.05(b), which states, in part, "If the pitcher is replaced, the substitute pitcher shall pitch to the batter then at bat, or any substitute batter, until such batter is put out or reaches first base, or until the offensive team is put out, unless the substitute pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the umpire-in-chief’s judgment, incapacitates him for further play as a pitcher."

The Comment for this rule addresses a manager (Porter) who attempts to violate Rule 3.05(b): "If a manager attempts to remove a pitcher in violation of Rule 3.05 (c) the umpire shall notify the manager of the offending club that it cannot be done. If, by chance, the umpire-in-chief has, through oversight, announced the incoming improper pitcher, he should still corrrect the situation before the improper pitcher pitches. Once the improper pitcher delivers a pitch he becomes the proper pitcher."

The umpires failed to enforce this rule, which is why the Angels protested and had an excellent case for affirmation—until they expectedly dropped the protest as a result of winning the ballgame, 6-5.

The second situation is trickier, also involves confusion regarding the pitching change rules and the double mound visit and did not result in a protest, which may have come in handy as the offended team ended up losing the game.

MLB: Umpires erred in rule application.

SF-LAD, July 20, 2010: With one out and the bases loaded in a 5-4 ballgame, Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton received a pep talk in the form of a mound visit by acting skipper Don Mattingly (manager Joe Torre had been ejected earlier in the game as had bench coach Bob Schaefer). At the meeting's seeming conclusion, Mattingly calmly walked down the pitcher's mound and onto the infield grass as first baseman James Loney said something to get the acting manager's attention. To better hear Loney in a Stadium with 53,381 fans, Mattingly stepped back onto the mound to converse with his infield before returning to the Dodgers dugout.

Manager Bruce Bochy then emerged from the Giants' first-base dugout and appealed that Mattingly's false start step-off constituted two mound visits to the same pitcher during the same inning, which meant Broxton had to come out of the ballgame. Crew Chief Tim McClelland agreed and Mattingly was forced to lift Broxton in favor of George Sherrill, who proceeded to surrender a two-RBI double to batter Andres Torres, giving the Giants to take a 6-5 lead before Travis Schlichting allowed run number seven to score. The Giants ultimately won the game, 7-5. No protest was filed.

After the game, league officials confirmed to multiple sources that umpires erred by not allowing Broxton to face Torres, pursuant to Rule 8.06(b) Comment, which states, "In a case where a manager has made his first trip to the mound and then returns the second time to the mound in the same inning with the same pitcher in the game and the same batter at bat, after being warned by the umpire that he cannot return to the mound, the manager shall be removed from the game and the pitcher required to pitch to the batter until he is retired or gets on base. After the batter is retired, or becomes a baserunner, then this pitcher must be removed from the game."

The umpires did not warn Mattingly against visiting Broxton a second time (it happened so quickly), so his removal or ejection would have been unlikely. Still, league officials confirmed the umpires misapplied—failed to apply—Rule 8.06(b) Comment, which qualifies as a rule misinterpretation and protestable offense. Had Mattingly's Dodgers protested the game, because they lost, the contest would have likely been replayed from the point of protest—top of the ninth, one out, bases loaded and Jonathan Broxton facing Andres Torres. At the conclusion of Torres' time at-bat, Broxton would have been removed from the game.

The kicker: in three previous career at-bats against Broxton, Torres was 0-3. (Video: Must C Controversial)
Similar fun fact: Both games featured the same home plate umpire, Adrian Johnson.

Buckminster Breaks Hand; McClelland Umps from Infield

Umpire Tim McClelland called balls and strikes from behind the mound during Tuesday afternoon's Spring Training Angels-Brewers game. In the top of the first inning of the contest, Angels batter Albert Pujols was hit by a Wily Peralta pitch. The ball then deflected into HP Umpire Seth Buckminster, the injury necessitating Buckminster's departure from the game.

With the young umpire's absence while A.J. Johnson donned the plate umpire equipment creating a two-person crew of 3B Umpire McClelland and 1B Umpire Jim Joyce, the senior crew chief opted to move behind the pitcher in order to call pitches, an acceptable albeit rarely seen umpiring mechanic. Lack of immediately accessible plate gear also may have played a role.

Buckminster, who was struck on the left wrist, was seen exiting the field while grasping his mask with the right, not left hand. After the game, it was revealed that the errant pitch indeed fractured Buckminster's left hand.

Video: McClelland calls the game from the middle of the infield while Johnson dresses for the plate

UEFL Profile of MLB Umpire Tim McClelland

Umpire Tim McClelland

Presenting the UEFL Profile of MLB Umpire Tim McClelland.
Name: Timothy Reid McClelland
Pronunciation Guide: TIM Muck-LELL-end

Date of Birth: December 12, 1951

Place of Birth: Jackson, Michigan

MiLB Leagues Worked: Florida State, Florida Instructional, Southern, American Association.

MLB Debut: 1981 (AL)
MLB Finale: 2014 (MLB) [33 Years of Service]

Level: MLB [Retired]

Umpire Uniform Number: 36

Crew Chief: Yes

2014 Ejections: 0 (Disabled List).
2013 Ejections: 0.

2012 Ejections: 2.
Ejection 063 (OAK M Bob Melvin; QOC = Y).
Ejection 059 (TEX C Yorvit Torrealba; QOC = Y).

Ejections, Career: 77
First Ejection: July 24, 1983
Final Ejection: June 9, 2012 (OAK M Bob Melvin; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

Ejection History: 3 (2000), 2 (2001), 3 (2002), 2 (2004), 3 (2005), 1 (2006), 4 (2007), 3 (2008), 2 (2009), 1 (2010), 1 (2011), 2 (2012), 0 (2013), 0 (2014).

UEFL History: Tim McClelland

Postseason and Special Events History

World Baseball Classic: -

All-Star Game: 1986, 1998, 2003

Wild Card Game: -

Division Series: 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006

Championship Series: 1988, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009

World Series: 1993, 2000, 2002, 2006

Notes: Received a Bachelor's in Recreation and Youth Leadership from Michigan State University (1974).
» Received a Master's degree in Intramural Administration from Michigan State University (1975).
» Former semi-pro baseball player and intramural sports official at Michigan State.
» Hobbies include golf.

Ejection 063: Tim McClelland (2)

HP Umpire Tim McClelland ejected A's Manager Bob Melvin for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the 5th inning of the A's-Diamondbacks game. With two out and three on, Diamondbacks batter Miguel Montero took a 0-1 fastball from A's pitcher Jarrod Parker for a called second ball. Montero would hit the next pitch into deep right-center field for a grand slam home run. Replays indicate that of 12 called balls (not including intentional balls), McClelland missed one (.798, -.14) [coordinates reported in the format of {norm_ht, px}], the second pitch of an early-inning at-bat that resulted in a double. With an accuracy rating of 91.7 percent for these pitches, the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the Diamondbacks were leading, 6-1. The Diamondbacks ultimately won the contest, 8-3.

This is Tim McClelland (36)'s second ejection of 2012.
Tim McClelland now has 8 points in the UEFL (4 Previous + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 8).
Crew Chief Tim McClelland now has 3 points in the UEFL's Crew division (2 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 3).
*This ejection has been granted a Post-Inning Exemption (px ranges bound .768 and .935).

UEFL Standings Update

This is the 63nd ejection of 2012.
This is the 32nd Manager ejection of 2012.
This is the A's 3rd ejection of 2012, which leads the AL West (2; TEX). Bob Melvin was tossed all 3 times.
This is Bob Melvin's first ejection since May 19 (James Hoye; QOC = Irrecusable).
This is Tim McClelland's first ejection since June 2 (Yorvit Torrealba; QOC = Correct).

Wrap: Athletics at Diamondbacks, 6/9/12
Video: A's Melvin ejected between innings for arguing Tim McClelland's strike zone (UEFL Embed)

Ejection 059: Tim McClelland (1)

HP Umpire Tim McClelland ejected Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba for arguing a safe call in the bottom of the 7th inning of the Rangers-Angels game. With one out and three on, Angels batter Kendrys Morales hit a 2-0 fastball from Rangers pitcher Koji Uehara to right fielder Nelson Cruz, who threw to catcher Torrealba as baserunner Mike Trout attempted to score from third base on the sacrifice fly. Replays indicate Trout's foot contacted home plate scarcely prior to Torrealba's tag contacting Trout's person, the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Angels were leading, 3-1.

This is Tim McClelland (36)'s first ejection of 2012.

Tim McClelland now has 4 points in the UEFL (0 Previous + 2 MLB + 2 Correct Call = 4).

Crew Chief Tim McClelland now has 2 points in the UEFL's Crew division (1 Previous + 1 Correct Call = 2).

UEFL Standings Update

This is the 59th ejection of 2012.

This is the 22nd player ejection of 2012.

This is Yorvit Torrealba's first ejection since his ejection by Venezuelan League Umpire Dario Rivero, Jr. in December. Torrealba was suspended by the Winter League for subsequently battering Rivero, Jr. by throwing an open hand slap at Rivero, Jr.'s face mask. MLB declined supplemental discipline.

This is Tim McClelland's first ejection since September 25, 2011.

This is the Texas Rangers' second ejection of 2012 and fourth ejection overall today.

Wrap: Rangers at Angels, 6/2/12

Video: McClelland Rules Trout Safe, Torrealba Throws Tantrum, is Promptly Ejected for Theatrics
Video: Torrealba Tossed Immediately While Arguing 'Safe' Call on Play at Plate (Rangers Feed)

Umpire Odds & Ends: McClelland Works 4,000th MLB Game

Tim McClelland was the second base umpire tonight at Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers hosted the Kansas City Royals. McClelland umpiring at second meant this was his 4,000th Major League game he has umpired in his career. During the lineup exchange, Royals Manager Ned Yost and Tigers Manager Jim Leyland  both gave their congratulations to McClelland. The crew chief also posed with his crew of Brian Runge, Marvin Hudson and Ted Barrett for pictures prior to the beginning of the game.

McClelland becomes the 20th umpire to have worked 4,000 Major League games. He joins Joe West and Derryl Cousins as the only active umpires to have achieved such milestone. In his 30 seasons as a Major League umpire, he has worked the 3rd most League Championship Series (9), worked 94 postseason games, and worked over 1,000 plate games. McClelland is most remembered for the pine tar incident involving Hall of Famer George Brett. He was also a part of another bat incident, ejecting Sammy Sosa for using a corked bat.

McClelland has no ejections so far in 2012, and had one in 2011 of New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi.

UPDATED: Tim McClelland was part of a controversial call in his 4,000th game. In the top of the 9th, a Jeff Francoeur batted ball was ruled a catch by McClelland that appeared to hit off the top of the wall. After conference, the call was changed to a double. Both Yost and Leyland came out, but neither were ejected. The video of the call and incident can be seen here (courtesy of tmac, who is not Tim McClelland).

News: McClelland Works 4,000th Game

Ejections: Tim McClelland (1)

1B Umpire Tim McClelland ejected Yankees Manager Joe Girardi for arguing a safe call in the top of the 13th inning of the Red Sox-Yankees game. With one out and none on, Red Sox batter Dustin Pedroia hit a 3-2 sinker from Yankees pitcher Aaron Laffey to third baseman Ramiro Pena, who threw to fist baseman Nick Swisher as Pedroia was sliding into first base. Replays indicate Swisher caught the ball and tagged first base prior to Pedroia's arrival, the call was incorrect. At the time of the ejection, the contest was tied, 4-4. The Red Sox ultimately won the contest, 7-4, in 14 innings.

This is Tim McClelland (36)'s first ejection of 2011.
Tim McClelland now has -2 points in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (0 Previous + 2 MLB + -4 Incorrect Call) = -2.
Tim McClelland was not drafted in 2011.

This is the 197th ejection of 2011.
This is the 97th Manager ejection of 2011.
This is Joe Girardi's third ejection of 2011.
This is the 56th Sunday ejection of 2011. Sunday has had more ejections than any other day of the week.

Wrap: Red Sox at Yankees, 9/25/11 Game 2
Video: McClelland tosses Girardi on the final Sunday of the regular season