Phil Oye

So I’m watching a replay of Game 5 of the 1977 ALCS and it is funny to see how the game has changed in little ways.

The most blatant, of course, is the fist fight between George Brett and Graig Nettles. A hard slide into third by Brett, a slight kick by Nettles that looked incidental, Brett comes up swinging, and benches cleared. It seems that in today’s game any bench clearing is always the result of the batter getting pissed at the pitcher for coming inside. Some others, in no particular order:

• Oh the hair. My god the hair.
• Lots of bunting.
• The batting boxes were still present after a few innings and, not surprisingly, batters didn’t seem to crowd the plate. And once a batter stepped into the box, they tended to stay there.
• The broadcast didn’t have any onscreen graphics during the broadcast. Unless ESPN Classic did some magic in removing them.
• Ah, the bullpen car. I only got a glimpse of it, but they had an actual car (not a golf cart) deliver the relief pitcher. The bullpen car phenomenon in the 70s wasn’t good for anyone. I mean, baseball players are scorned as not being “real” atheletes, getting driven 300 feet only lends credence to the notion. Good riddance.
• There were generous periods where the broadcasters didn’t say a damn word. I pray history repeats itself.