Today In 1980: Baltimore #Orioles manager Earl Weaver launches into a legendary tirade against umpire Bill Haller at Memorial Stadium! #MLB #History pic.twitter.com/wABIyhJkgj— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) September 17, 2019
September 17, 1980. Memorial Stadium, Baltimore. Tigers batting in the top of the first. Rick Peters grounds out pitcher-to-first and Alan Trammell singles to right. With Al Cowens at the plate, first base umpire Bill Haller calls a balk on Orioles starter Mike Flanagan. Orioles manager Earl Weaver does not agree.
Weaver's tirade may or may not be legendary, but Haller wins the argument. (Here's a longer, clearer version, with Eddie Murray talking to Haller before Weaver arrives.)
Weaver: That's bullshit!Haller walks away. Weaver follows him.
Haller: ... behind the rubber.
Weaver: Ah, bullshit!
Haller: Bullshit yourself.
Weaver: ... you're here - you're here, and this crew is here, just to fuck us.
Haller: BOOM! [Haller actually provides a sound effect when he tosses Weaver! Amazing!]
Weaver: Good. That's great!
Haller: Ahhh, you ... shit.
Weaver: And you stink. ... you couldn't wait to get me out of here.
Haller: Ah, Earl. You run yourself, Earl. You run yourself.
Weaver: Get your finger ...
Haller: You hit me?
Weaver: Yeah, cause you put your finger on me.
Haller: I'm glad you did. I'm glad you hit me.
Weaver: That's right. ... You're here for one goddamn specific reason.
Haller: What's that, Earl?
Weaver: To fuck us!
Haller: Ah, you're full of shit. Fuck you.
Weaver: ... this crew for years and goddamn years and years. And don't you ever put your finger on me again.
Haller: You hit me, Earl.
Weaver: You put your finger on me.
Haller: That's okay.
Weaver: You're goddamn right. If you touch me again ...
Haller: Ah, you ain't gonna knock nobody on their ass.
Weaver: You do it again, and I'll knock you right in your nose.
Haller: I didn't touch you.
Weaver: You pushed your finger ...
Haller: I did not! Now you're lying.
Weaver: ... goddamn ...
Haller: You're lying!
Weaver: No, you are.
Haller: You are lying.
Weaver: You're a big liar if you ...
Haller: You are a liar, Earl.
Weaver: You are!
Haller: A liar!
Weaver: You are!
Weaver: I'll tell you something. You're here for one reason, to fuck us good.Haller walks away again, and again Weaver follows.
Haller: Wrong.
Weaver: That's the only reason.
Haller: You are wrong, Earl.
Weaver: And you'll have your chance tomorrow. You got it as quick as you could ...
Haller: Awwwww ... what's wrong with you?
Weaver: You ain't no good.
Haller: No, you aren't, either. You aren't, either.
Weaver: You ain't no good.
Haller: You're no fucking good, either.
Weaver: You stink. Your ass'll never have our games again.
Haller: I hope ... what do I care?
Weaver: Yeah!
Haller: What do I care?
Weaver: Yeah! What do ... what are you doing here now?
Haller: Well, why don't you call the league office and ask them?
Weaver: Yeah! I will!
Haller: Good.
Weaver: Don't think I won't.
Haller: Good.
Weaver: And the quicker you get ... don't walk away ...
Haller: And the quicker you get out, it'll be better, too.
Weaver: Yeah! Yeah!
Haller: That's right!
Weaver: You ain't going nowhere.
Haller: You aren't either.
Weaver: You watch, about five, ten fucking years from now, who's in the Hall of Fame.*: Weaver's teams lost three of the four World Series in which they played (including the season before this one), but were 15-13 in games. The Orioles lost in 1969 (1-4), won in 1970 (4-1), and lost in 1971 (3-4) and 1979 (3-4). Weaver's Orioles also lost in the ALCS in 1973 (2-3) and 1974 (1-3).
Haller: Oh, you're gonna be in the Hall of Fame?
Weaver: You know it!
Haller: Why?
Weaver: You know it!
Haller: For fucking up World Series? You gonna be in the Hall of Fame for fucking up World Series?
Weaver: I've won more than I've lost, you know.
Haller: Oh, no, you haven't, Earl.
Weaver: Games*! Count games, fucker! ... You don't even know nothing about baseball!
Haller: You better get going, Earl.
Weaver: Oh, I better get going.
Haller: Better get going.
Weaver: What in the hell are you gonna do about it?
One of my favorite confrontations between an umpire and a manager, classic!
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