Marichal: From Aggressor to Great Friend of the Victim – Marichal: de Agresor a Gran Amigo de Su Agredido

In the Middle of the Game, He Hits John Roseboro in the Head with a Baseball Bat

They Later Became Great Friends Until the Catcher’s Death in 2002

Coral Gables, Florida (VIP-WIRE) – The San Francisco Chronicle’s full-page headline read: Ugly, Iconic, Incredible Incident.

The journalists expressed their shock at what had happened.

The headlines reflected disbelief, because a big leaguer as gentlemanly, refined, and decent as Juan Marichal, pitcher for the Giants, seemed incapable of having committed such an act of aggression in the San Francisco stadium.

Four on the Road to the Hall of Fame

Marichal, nicknamed The Dominican Dandy for his elegant figure and refined manners, had hit Roseboro in the head with a baseball bat, requiring 14 stitches.

It happened 61 years ago, on the afternoon of August 22, 1965, before the largest crowd the Giants had ever seen that season at their home stadium, Candlestick Park in San Francisco: 42,807 people.

The Giants, who were in first place, beat the Dodgers 4-3 in that game, which began with two future Hall of Famers on the mound: Sandy Koufax and Marichal. Two more future Hall of Famers, Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, were also in the Giants’ lineup, both destined for Cooperstown.

An Era of Many Throws to the Head

It was an era when there were many reasons to throw the ball near the batter’s head. Don Drysdale (Dodgers) was very aggressive in this regard. Koufax, on the other hand, was considered incapable of intimidating any batter.

That attitude of the glorious left-hander was part of the drama. Marichal had thrown two fastballs close to Maury Wills’ face because he had bunted for a hit in his first at-bat, and Koufax wasn’t sending any balls home when the Dominican Dandy came to bat.

So Roseboro decided to take matters into his own hands, and in the bottom of the third inning, when he threw the ball back to Koufax, he hit it very close to Marichal’s right ear. Marichal felt so offended that he turned to face him, bat raised, ready to attack.

Roseboro Lost a Lot of Blood

They only exchanged a few words. Roseboro took off his mask, and the Dominican thought he was going to hit him with it, swinging at the center of Roseboro’s head, from which a lot of blood gushed out. The umpire, Shag Crawford, helped the injured man, while all the players threatened a fight in the infield.

Mays, Marichal’s friend, appeared to calm him down and took him to the dugout.

The Dodgers ultimately won, going on to defeat the Twins in the World Series.

Marichal was suspended for 10 games and fined $1,750. He was earning $60,000 that season.

Marichal Felt Deeply Ashamed

Nevertheless, the Dandy of Quisqueya immediately began a series of efforts to show Roseboro that he was ashamed of what had happened. Roseboro even went so far as to file a lawsuit against Marichal. However, they settled out of court for seven thousand dollars, paid by the Dominican.

They eventually became great friends and even autographed photos of the fight.

They also played golf together. Juan even invited John to a tournament in Santo Domingo, and they spent two weeks there together, all paid for by Juan.

Before the burial of Roseboro, who died of a heart attack on August 16, 2002, it was a tearful Marichal who delivered the eulogy.

The Journalists Punish Him

Marichal was passed over for the Hall of Fame during his first four years as a candidate because the Baseball Writers Association of America voters cited his attack on Roseboro as the reason.

It took a personal appeal from Roseboro himself for him to be elected in 1983, and he thanked Roseboro in his induction speech. Furthermore, his number 27 was retired by the Giants.

Thanks to life, for giving me so much, including a reader like you.

 

ATTENTION: You can read the recent archive of Juan Vené en la Pelota in Spanish, on the Internet, by accessing it with: El deporte vuelve a unirnos.

jbeisbol5@aol.com

@juanvene5

Coral Gables, Florida (VIP-WIRE) – El titular, a toda página del San Francisco Chronicle, fue: Ugly, Iconic, Incredible Incident (Un incidente feo, icónico e increíble).

Los periodistas se declaraban muy sorprendidos por lo ocurrido.

Los titulares reflejaban incredulidad, porque un big leaguer tan caballeroso, tan fino y decente, como Juan Marichal, lanzador de los Gigantes, parecía incapaz de haber protagonizado tal agresión en el estadio de San Francisco.

Marichal, llamado El Dandy Dominicano, por su elegante figura y por sus finos modales, había agredido a batazos a Roseboro en la cabeza, y tuvieron que aplicarle 14 puntos de sutura.

Ocurrió hace 61 años, en la tarde del 22 de agosto de 1965, ante el mayor público que en esa temporada recibieron los Gigantes en su Candlestick Park de San Francisco, 42 mil 807 personas.

Los Gigantes, quienes estaban en primer lugar, les ganaron ese juego a los Dodgers, 4-3, en acción iniciada con dos futuros del Hall de la Fama sobre la lomita, Sandy Koufax y Marichal. Había dos más en la alineación de los Gigantes, vía Cooperstown, Willie Mays y Willie McCovey.

Era la época cuando había muchos motivos para acercarles la pelota a la cabeza de los bateadores. En eso Don Drysdale (Dodgers) era muy agresivo. En  cambio a Koufax se le consideraba incapaz de asustar a algún bateador.

Esa actitud del glorioso zurdo, fue parte del drama. Marichal le había pasado dos rectas cercanas a la cara de Maury Wills, porque había tocado la bola de hit en su primer turno, y Koufax no enviaba venganza para home cuando El Dandy Dominicano aparecía a batear.

Por eso, Roseboro decidió tomar las cosas por su cuenta, y en el cierre del tercer inning, al devolverle la pelota a Koufax, se la pasó muy cerca de la oreja derecha a Marichal, quien se consideró tan ofendido, que volteó a verlo y con el bate arriba, para agredirlo.

Solo intercambiaron pocas palabras, Roseboro se despojó de la careta, el quisqueyano creyó que lo iba a agredir con ella, y le hizo swing contra el centro de la cabeza, de donde brotó mucha sangre. El umpire, Shag Crawford, auxilió al herido, mientras todos los peloteros amenazaban con una batalla en el infield.

Mays, amigo de Marichal, apareció para calmarlo y se lo llevó al dugout.

Finalmente los Dodgers ganaron, hasta la Serie Mundial a los Twins.

Marichal fue suspendido por 10 juegos y multado con mil 750 dólares. Él cobraba $60 mil por aquella temporada.

No obstante, El Dandy de Quisqueya, comenzó en seguida una serie de gestiones para demostrarle a Roseboro que estaba avergonzado por lo ocurrido.

                                                                                                                        

Incluso, Roseboro llegó hasta a presentar una demanda contra Marichal. Pero se arreglaron fuera de los tribunales, por siete mil dólares que le pagó el quisqueyano.

Finalmente se convirtieron e grandes amigos, y llegaron hasta a autografiar fotografías de la pelea.

También jugaban juntos al golf. Incluso, Juan invitó a John a un torneo en Santo Domingo y allá pasaron juntos dos semanas, todo por cuenta de Juan.

Antes del sepelio de los restos de Roseboro, quien murió de un infarto, el 16 de agosto de 2002, fue Marichal, muy lloroso, quien pronunció las palabras de despedida.

Marichal fue pasado por alto en la elección para el Hall de la Fama, durante sus primeros cuatro años de candidato, porque los electores de la Baseball Writers Association of America ponían como motivo ese ataque contra de Roseboro.

Fue necesario un llamado personal del mismo Roseboro, para que fuera electo en 1983, y por cierto, agradeció a Roseboro en su discurso de exaltación. Y además, el 27, su número de uniforme, fue retirado por los Gigantes.

ATENCIÓN: Puedes leer el archivo reciente de Juan Vené en la Pelota, en la Internet, si accedes con: El deporte vuelve a unirnos. 

jbeisbol5@aol.com

@juanvene5