Favorite manager blowup

This one has special meaning for me, being from KC and all. I can still see Hal flinging shit around and yelliing "Quit asking all those stupid-ass questions!"

In fact, it invoked the "second" Hal McRae rule around our house. The first, of course, states that you've got to be within an arm's length of second base while trying to break up a double play.

So when someone starts to give you the Spanish Inquisition, invoke the second Hal McRae rule. It probably won't be funny because they won't know what you're talking about, but you'll get a chuckle.

 

http://www.hankhayes.com/m3u/weaver.m3u

 

The Lee Elia one might just be my favorite, but any Earl Weaver rant or Lou Piniella rave would rank up there, too. But here's the one I remember most, because I was still a young reporter filling in on the Yankees. All I remember for sure is Billy Martin was screaming about something Henry Hecht had written in the NY Post and after Henry said something back to Martin, Billy said, "If you were a man, I'd throw you in the fucking whirlpool."

How could I ever forget that?

 

One of my all-time favorites was wordless, and though I'm sure it had been done before, my first time seeing it was at a Twins game at the Metrodome.
Twins bench is all over the home plate ump for squeezing the home pitcher (might have been Radke, I'm not sure).
All of a sudden, a batting tee comes flying out of the Twins dugout and lands near home plate. The ump turns and gies the dugout a look like, "OK< now I have to run somebody, so who threw it."
Paul Molitor walks up to the top step, glares at the ump and walks down the tunnel.
Ump never even made a motion to throw him out. But Molly got his point across.

 

A former East Coast Hockey League beat writer in Norfolk transcribed a diatribe by John Brophy, a classic old-school coach. The Admirals had a running fight with the Scope about conditions there, and one night the ice is atrocious. The beat writer asks Brophy about it, and in about 100 words he uses the F-bomb about 35 times and as just about every part of speech.

 

Just so happened that the next day, the Royals had aspiring sports reporters from area high schools attend that game. It included a tour of the stadium, free tickets close to the action and a couple press conferences before the game -- one with McRae himself. I didn't know what to expect when McRae took the stand. None of us did. We all had seen the footage, so yeah, we all sat quiet.

Then McRae broke the ice by joking, "What, it's not like there an ash tray up here." That got a good laugh out of us. After that, he explained his actions, apologized for it and put us at ease.

Lloyd McClendon stealing first base comes in a close second for me.

 

I grew up in Commack not far from the Long Island Arena where the LI Ducks played. I grew up hearing stories about the league (the league SlapShot was based on), and Johnny Brophy's name came up quite often. I'd be very grateful if you could post that transcript if you have it.

 

i think mikaluk's blowup is now tied with mcclendon's 'steal' of first base.

 

Not even close. McClendon's steal was great because everyone expected him to fling the bag, like everyone else always did. Instead, he strides right off the field with it.

The minor league guy was just nuts, throwing or slamming anything he could get his hands on.

 

I've got to admit I've never heard that Earl Weaver-with-listeners'-questions thing, which is hilarious. (Or, as Earl would say, "fucking hilarious.") Is that a parody? What's the story?

 

A few times, I met a guy named John East, who played for Brophy in the ECHL (Hampton Roads Admirals, I think).  East was a fighter who'd hurt his hand and therefore couldn't fight.  He went about five games without dropping the gloves, and Brophy let him hear about it whenever he could.  Calling him a pussy, a plumber, all that stuff.  So one night, East finally felt good enough to fight, had three scraps in the first period and got thrown out.  East doesn't even think he touched the puck that night.  In the dressing room in the first intermission, Brophy makes a beeline for East and says:

"Goddamit Easter (spitting the whole time).  That's the best fucking game you've played all year!"

Brophy is also famous for going into the stands to challenge a fan.  Nothing special, unless you consider that Brophy was armed with a hacksaw.

 

Oh my god, that's hilarious.