Top 20 MLB brawls of all time

May 29, 2017; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Hunter Strickland (60) and Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) in a fight after Harper was hit by the pitch of Strickland during the eighth inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

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Babe Ruth (George Herman Ruth, 1895 – 1948) American professional baseball player for the Boston Red Sox, mid 1910s. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) /

9. Babe Ruth punches the ump

Remember when Babe Ruth was a pitcher? Before he picked up the bat on a full-time basis, Ruth was one of the best pitchers in the American League, and yes, he did have a bit of a temper. One of his more infamous moments on the field came on June 17, 1923.

Ruth was pitching for the Boston Red Sox that day. He walked the leadoff man for the Washington Senators on four pitches and immediately began yelling at the home plate umpire. Ruth continued yelling, and eventually punched the ump.

Here is the original account from the Boston Globe in 1917:

"“Open your eyes and keep them open,” chirped Babe. “Get in and pitch or I will run you out of there,” was the comeback of the arbiter. “You run me out and I will come in and bust you on the nose,” Ruth threatened. “Get out of there right now,” said Brick. Then in rushed Ruth. Chester Thomas tried to prevent him from reaching Owens, who had not removed his mask, but Babe started swinging both hands. The left missed the arbiter, but the right struck him behind the left ear. Manager Barry and several policemen had to drag Ruth off the field. All season Babe has been fussing a lot. Nothing has seemed to satisfy him."

Ruth had apparently been rowdy with umpires the entire season, and this was not his first physical altercation with the man in blue. Ernie Shore came in after the Babe was tossed. The runner Ruth had put on base was thrown out. From there, Shore retired the next 26 hitters in order.

Shore does not get credit for throwing a perfect game because he did not start the game. Nevertheless, he did essentially retire 27 men in a row. Ruth gets his name on one of strangest combined no-hitters in MLB history. The Great Bambino only started 19 games in 1918 and was essentially done with pitching by 1919. Umpires all over the league breathed a sigh of relief.

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