The Greatest Baseball Brawls of All-Time
August 12, 2009 | Posted by Johnny Sacks 
Baseball brawls are usually pretty lame. Most of the time everyone runs out onto the field and stares at each other, while one player on each team yells profanity and another player pretends to hold him back. However, last night we were treated to one of the better brawls in recent memory, when the Red Sox Kevin Youkilis charged Detroit Tigers rookie right-hander Rick Porcello. An all-out brawl ensued.
This got me thinking…What are the greatest major league baseball brawls of all time? After careful consideration I have come up with the top five baseball brawls ever.
Now, due to MLB copyright issues I had a hard time finding quality videos on you tube. However after searching diligently, I was able to find some sort of video for 3 of the 5 videos.
5. Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees- May 19, 1998: Armando Benitez Plunks Tino Martinez. Enraged Aussie Fights Back.
(video no longer available)
After Armando Benitez succeeded at what he does best, blowing a lead, he took out his frustration on Tino Martinez and nailed him with a 99 mph fastball in the back. After the benches clear, Yankee reliever Graeme Lloyd sprints all the way from the bullpen and proceeds to throw a flurry of left hooks at Benitez. Later on, Darryl Strawberry gets his crack at Benitez and the fight moves into the dugout.
4. 2003- Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds: Kyle Farnsworth Tackles Paul Wilson (video not available)
Maybe Kyle Farnsworth should have tried football because he’s not a very good pitcher. After Farnsworth threw inside at Wilson, words were exchanged. Farnsworth didn’t wait for Wilson to come to him. He charged at him and laid him out like he was playing middle linebacker.
3. August 12, 1984- San Diego Padres vs. Atlanta Braves: The bean-brawl game.
This fight has it all: both quality and quantity. Three separate brawls occurred in this game and all of them were classic. It started on the very first pitch and only got worse. This game had it all: Players using a bat as a weapon, fat umpires getting toppled over, a girl in the stands tackling a player, fans throwing beer. Could easily have been #1 on this list.
2. Oct 12, 2003, ALCS Game 3 New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox: Don Zimmer gets Tossed by Pedro.
This brawl was loaded with star power: Yankees vs. Red Sox, American League Championship Series, Manny Ramirez, Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez. All that was overshadowed by, 72-year old, Don Zimmer getting tossed to the ground like a rag doll by Pedro.
1. August 4, 1993, Chicago White Sox vs. Texas Rangers: Nolan Ryan puts Robin Ventura in a head lock.
This is the greatest baseball brawl of all-time because of its sheer hilarity. After Ventura was plunked by a Ryan fastball, he quickly charges at Ryan. Ventura is rudely greeted by a headlock and a flurry of punches to his noggin. This is easily the most one-sided brawl ever. (To view this one you’ll have to fast forward to the end of the video clip)
Think I missed some? Let me know which other ones should have made the list.
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Categories: Baseball, Sports | 
Tags: Baseball, brawls, fights | 
5 Comments »
good choices. one brawl that you will probably never see was one between mark whiten (blue jays) and jack mcdowell (white sox) easily one of the greatest direct hit punches
Love it that ventura was headlocked ,nolan should have forced him to his knees while holding him in a squeezing headlock or a full nelson
benetiz blowing leads as what he does best?
uh not a fan of him really but what are you talking about? give the mans ome credit. that season (98) with baltimore he went 22/22 in save opps.
The next four years he went 22 of 28 (weak I know), 41 of 46, 43 of 46 and 33 of 37. Then he had 2 all star years in one of them, 2004, he had 47 saves.
Benitez is one of the top ten closers of the past decade (or on the fringe). Give the man his due.
-a phillies phan
Benitez had a reputation of coming up small in big spots, particularly in the postseason. He blew game one of the 2000 World Series and lost two games in the 1997 ALCS.
You should also know that saves are a very overrated stat. A league average pitcher presented with a three run lead and no one on base will convert the save nearly every time.
A closer look at his numbers would reveal an ERA that was typically in the high 3’s (not very good for a relief pitcher) and a WHIP around 1.20-.1.30 most seasons.
On top of that, ask any Mets fan who had to watch him on a regular basis and they will laugh at the notion that he is one of the ten best closers in the past decade.