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The Record
Hall of ShameA catalog of baseball's lasting mistakes

Team

Kansas City Royals

5 entries · 1981–2019

No. 1981.05.27

1981

May 27
Rules & Quirks1981

Randle Blows It Foul

Lenny Randle dropped to the Kingdome turf and blew a slow roller across the foul line. The umpire called it foul, then changed the call after the Royals protested.

Seattle Mariners · Kansas City Royals

George Brett's pine-tar bat on display at the Henry Ford Museum in 2006, beside Mark McGwire's body armor. The photograph is of the bat years later, not the July 24, 1983 at-bat.
Rules & Quirks1983

The Pine Tar Game

George Brett's go-ahead homer was taken off the board because there was too much pine tar on the bat. The league president put the homer back.

Kansas City Royals · New York Yankees

Jorge Orta, from his 1978 Hostess baseball card. This is not the 1985 call at first base.
Umpire Controversies1985

Denkinger Calls Orta Safe

With St. Louis one out from a championship, Don Denkinger called Jorge Orta safe at first. Replays showed he was out. The Cardinals never got the inning back.

Kansas City Royals · St. Louis Cardinals

Matt Harvey being interviewed, June 9, 2015 (the same season). Not World Series Game 5.
Managerial Decisions2015

Harvey Talks His Way Back

Terry Collins let Matt Harvey pitch the ninth of World Series Game 5 with a two-run lead. Harvey walked a man and gave up a double. Eric Hosmer then scored the tying run on a throw Lucas Duda did not get to the plate.

Kansas City Royals · New York Mets

Trevor Bauer with Cleveland, May 19, 2019, about 10 weeks before the incident. Not the throw.
Personalities & Off-field2019

Bauer Throws It Over the Fence

When Terry Francona came to take him out in the fifth, Trevor Bauer turned and threw the baseball over the center-field fence at Kauffman Stadium. He apologized after the game. Cleveland traded him within the week.

Cleveland Indians · Kansas City Royals