Fansided

Top 20 MLB brawls of all time

By Joshua Sadlock

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
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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29 Sep 2001: Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during pre-game ceremonies before the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Ezra Shaw/Allsport
29 Sep 2001: Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during pre-game ceremonies before the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Ezra Shaw/Allsport /

2. Mariners vs. Orioles, June 6, 1993

The Orioles pop up yet again with a huge and historic brawl. The Baltimore teams of the 1990s were a fiery bunch, led by Cal Ripken Jr. The Seattle Mariners side of the brawl featured heavy hitters like Jay Buhner, Randy Johnson, Tino Martinez, and Norm Charlton. Martinez and Charlton were actually on the same side in this fight.

The brawl broke out in the top of the seventh inning after mild-mannered Orioles starter Mike Mussina hit Bill Haselman with a fastball. Haselman must have taken exception with the location of the pitch, which was thrown in retaliation for the Mariners throwing behind two Orioles batters. Haselman may have understood the reason for the plunking, but Mussina has to get the ball down.

Haselman charged Mussina, who did not seem to know what to do with himself. The Mariners and Orioles spilled out of the dugouts and bullpens. The fight would delay the game for over 20 minutes and the crowd of over 45,000 booed the entire time. Orioles coach Elrod Hendricks was taking on all comers, side fights kept breaking out, Chris Bosio, who had instigated the fight by throwing behind two Orioles hitters, broke his collarbone.

This was quite a fight, and it nearly ended Cal Ripken’s consecutive games streak. He showed up to the park the day after expecting to sit with minor injuries suffered in the fight, but found a way to take the field. The Orioles won the brawl game 5-2, but Mariners manager Lou Pinella played the last two innings under protest because Mussina somehow managed to avoid being ejected.

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