NEWSLETTER
Back in 1995, the Dodgers were forced to forfeit a 2-1 game in the ninth inning against the Cardinals, because their fans were getting a little, eh hem, restless.
Here’s the set-up: On August 10, 1995, the Dodgers headed into the ninth against the Cardinals down a single run, when Raul Mondesi struck out on what was a series of truly awful calls by the home plate umpire Jim Quick. After arguing with Quick just a bit too much, Mondesi was thrown out of the game and was quickly followed by his manager, Tommy Lasorda.
The only problem? These late (and somewhat unjustified) ejections came in a close-game came … on souvenir ball night.
I’ll let you watch the rest unfold:
First of all, seriously, those calls against Mondesi are borderline criminal. Second of all, what in the world was going on?!
I can somewhat understand why fans would be compelled to throw their balls onto the field after the terrible umpiring in the ninth, but that was the *second and third* time they did it that day (apparently the game paused in the 7th for the same reason (lulz)). At which point, how do you blame the umps for calling things short? You can’t, right?
In any case, the New York Times reported that “it was the first forfeit in the major leagues since July 12, 1979, when the second game of a doubleheader between Detroit and Chicago was called off after a raucous anti-disco promotion left the field unplayable” – another crazy story for another time. I love baseball fans.
