Basebrawl at Fenway Park: Several slugfests that interrupted the game

The Gerbil attempts to collar Pedro

Pedro Martinez and Don Zimmer are forever linked in Red Sox history, but I will now take an editorial sidebar about Zimmer. Zimmer was the prototypical baseball lifer who eventually managed the Red Sox. Zimmer, the player, endured and recovered from a horrific beaning which can be viewed with Zimmer's life story on SABR. But back to Zimmer, the manager from 1976-1980.

Zim's winning percentage was a remarkable .575, but his managerial ability cost the team two World Series shots. (JMO). In 1978 the Sox were piling it on, and the only way they would lose the division was by being hit by the bubonic plague and the entire team isolated to a deserted island off the coast of Peru. Zimmer seemed lost as the Red Sox's huge lead drifted away, setting up a playoff game and Bucky Dent. Zimmer had to contend with the "Buffalo Heads" and being nicknamed "The Gerbil," so I do have a tiny bit of compassion for him. I'll stop there before my Red Sox PTSD steps in.

Zimmer became a coach for the Yankees, and during Game 3 of the ALCS, when Martinez dusted off a Yankee hitter, ill words were exchanged between both teams. Yankee starter Roger Clemens responded by testing Manny Ramirez's reflexes to avoid a pitch, which became brawl time. The highlight of the scuffle was the 72-year-old Zimmer going after Pedro, who tossed him to the ground.