Opinion: Scrums in baseball an insult to game

State Hornet Staff

Baseball’s first rule book consisted of 20 rules written by William Wheaton and William Tucker of the Knickerbocker Baseball Club on Sept. 23, 1845. Together, they declared the game a gentlemanly pastime.

Over the years, those words have lost meaning to many players.

The earliest offense I can think of is the ugly fighting of San Francisco Giants hitter Juan Marichal after almost being hit in the head with the ball thrown by Los Angeles Dodger Johnny Roseboro on Aug. 22, 1965. 

Marichal took his bat and starting swinging at the catcher as both teams poured onto the field from their dugouts. He swung twice overhand, hitting Roseboro’s unprotected head, ultimately sending him to the hospital for three days.

After it was settled, Marichal was suspended for eight games and was fined $1,750 by the league. The amount may not sound like a big fine, but when Marichal was only making $60,000 in 1965, the consequences were pretty significant.

Ten years later, the two fighters would become teammates on the Dodgers and all was forgiven.

Nowadays, we see bench-clearing brawls much more often. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox commonly butt heads, along with the Giants and Dodgers rivalry, but what is more disturbing is the increase of fights in college and high school.

Student athletes are taught from day one to respect the opposing athletes and practice good sportsmanship. After every game, teams shake each other’s hands and say “good game” – essentially erasing any bad blood caused from the game.

Players today overlook the game’s original intention. Before the game was created into a league, it was a kid’s game with loose rules – a way to get exercise during the summers in New York.

Professional players now are playing for millions of dollars a year, with expensive sponsors and instant fame – games tend to get heated.

In high school, they are playing for a potential college scout looking for a new recruit. College players are playing hard to be picked in a higher draft round, ultimately maximizing their first professional paycheck.

Money, greed and selfishness are constant distractions from the simple fact that these grown men are playing a child’s game for free (for most student athletes) education – a privilege most students envy.

The fight between UC Riverside and Sacramento State on Friday sparked a national media uprising. Video footage of the scrum has passed through many major media outlets this past weekend as if a couple of goons were fighting on pay-per-view. 

Three players who were involved in the fight  (two from UC Riverside and one from Sac State) have been suspended four games each by the NCAA.

Fighting will always be a part of baseball, but when college players and high school athletes throw sportsmanship away and start fights on the field, consequences much larger than a few game suspension need to take place.