25 Sticky Summers Ago

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the George Brett "pine tar incident", an event that even the most sedentary follower of our nations pastime can probably recollect.

If you don't recall; pause here, go to YouTube and type George Brett pine tar in the search que.

One bit of baseball lore that many aren't aware of is how the obscure rule of egregiously layered bat pine tar came to be. For Minnesota Twins fans, this little yarn will come as no shock at all.

In 1957, the owner of the Washington Senators, Calvin Griffith, petitioned the President of the American League, Lee MacPhail, to enact a new rule that would limit the application of pine tar on a baseball bat to within eighteen inches from the tip of the bats handle. Griffith complained that his team was going through too many baseballs, due in large part to pine tar erosion.

Griffith moved the Senators to Minnesota prior to the 1960 season and renamed the franchise the Twins.

He continued his penny pinching ways until selling the club in 1984 to Carl Pohlad. Since the Twins won their first World Series in 1987, they have remained one of baseballs best teams and are considered a model for winning as a small market club.

Calvin Griffith died in 1999, leaving his colorful baseball legend behind.