Baseball can be an extremely testy sport, can't it? As is true for many sports, just one thing can set players off, resulting in bench-clearing brawls on the baseball diamond. Whether it's the tension of a classic MLB rivalry, a player getting hit with a pitch, or someone plowing through to get to a base, almost anything can incite a fight, as seen in these crazy baseball brawl videos.
On top of the action on the diamond, some players let their emotions get the best of them tossing a few fisticuffs around. Many times throughout the storied history of baseball, nasty brawls and intense fights have broken out between players, managers, fans, and umpires. Hit with a pitch? Better throw some punches! Can't stand your cross-town rivals? Better clear the bench and make your opinion known... with your fists. Teams like the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox are not strangers to an on-field melee, constantly going at it seemingly every time they play ball.
Hockey might be known for its fights, but Major League Baseball has seen its fair share as well. These baseball fighting videos feature some of the craziest, nastiest brawls in the history of the MLB, resulting in ejections, suspensions, and more than a few unwanted injuries. Which of these baseball fights is the craziest? Cast your votes now and steer clear of angry pitchers!
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Nolan Ryan vs. Robin Ventura
What happens when you get one of the game's best pitchers really upset? A couple of swift uppercuts, that's what. Former Texas Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan proved this during a game against the Chicago White Sox in 1993, when he beaned Chicago's Robin Ventura with a pitch during his at-bat.
Ventura wasn't too pleased with Ryan's decision, as he rushed the mound and was welcomed with those aforementioned punches and a headlock from the 46-year-old pitcher. Both benches cleared as the two guys were at the epicenter of the action before order was restored.
Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox
Whenever two cross-city rivals get together, there's probably going to be some animosity - and this 2006 fight between Chicago's North Side Cubs and South Side White Sox proved that.
As then White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski plowed through Cubs catcher Michael Barrett while trying to score on a sacrifice fly, Barrett straight-up punched Pierzynski in the face upon getting up, resulting in both benches taking part in a 15-minute shoving match. Barrett received a 10-game suspension for his actions, which, no doubt, sparked the rivalry from then on.
Chicago White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers
When Major League Baseball admits to this fight being, "the biggest mass suspension ever," you know that it had to be wild - and it absolutely was.
16 players ultimately received suspensions following this 2000 brawl, in which Detroit Tigers pitcher Jeff Weaver decked Chicago White Sox slugger Carlos Lee, and Chicago's Jim Parque retaliated by hitting Detroit's Dean Palmer. Once Palmer got hit, he rushed the mound like a linebacker looking for a quarterback, throwing his helmet at Parque to get things started.
Just when fans thought the dust was settled, more action went down in the ninth inning, as a couple more players were hit and more rounds of kicks and wrestling took place. All told, 11 player ended up getting ejected during the game.
Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres
If you're looking for, quite possibly, the longest brawl in MLB history, the 1984 spat between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres might just be it - and it all began with the very first pitch of the game - when Atlanta starting pitcher Pascual Perez hit San Diego's Alan Wiggins.
Payback came the very next inning, as Padres pitcher Ed Whiston threw behind Perez's head as he stood in the batter's box. As soon as Perez waved his bat to encourage Whiston to cool it, or else, the dugouts emptied and the first brawl of the game was on.
Before you knew it, there were additional fights in the fifth, eighth and ninth innings, which resulted in 14 total players being ejected, including both team's managers. This one was so crazy that even five fans were arrested for trying to join in on the action.
Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
For anyone who saw this fight firsthand, it's one that probably won't soon be forgotten. That's because it resulted in 72-year-old New York Yankees bench coach, Don Zimmer, being tossed to the ground by then Boston Red Sox ace pitcher, Pedro Martinez, during a 2003 American League Championship season matchup.
These two teams really hate each other (the biggest understatement of all time) so anytime they get together, a legendary brawl is always a possibility.
Pete Rose vs. Bud Harrelson
MLB hits leader Pete Rose wasn't nicknamed "Charley Hustle" for nothing. As the New York Mets were blowing out the Cincinnati Reds in Game 3 of the 1973 National League Championship Series, Rose slid into second base as hard as possible in an attempt to break up a double play, barreling into the Mets's Bud Harrelson in the process.
The result? A wrestling match between the two players which extended into a bench-clearing brawl lasting about 10 minutes. Fans got in on the action too, tossing beer and other items onto the field to shower Rose with hate.
Alex Rodriguez vs. Jason Varitek
For all the Boston Red Sox fans out there, you can, quite possibly, thank former catcher Jason Varitek for shifting the tides in the rivalry with the New York Yankees. He proved this during a brawl back in 2004, when he stood up to the Yanks's Alex Rodriguez, who wasn't too happy with an inside pitch. Varitek shoved his catcher's mitt in Rodriguez's face and started an all-out brawl between both dugouts.
This was at the height of their rivalry, as they squared off in back-to-back American League Championship Series, and set the tone for the Red Sox refusing to give up in their remarkable comeback later that postseason.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres
After signing a monster contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason, one would imagine that pitcher Zack Greinke would be a little more tentative about getting into fights, right?
Wrong.
After clocking San Diego Padres slugger Carlos Quentin with a pitch in 2013, the batter sprinted towards the mound and speared Greinke, taking him down so viciously that he actually broke his collarbone, sidelining the Dodgers All-Star for over two months.
Juan Marichal vs. John Roseboro
During a tight pennant race in the dog days of summer, things can certainly get heated as emotions run high. That was the case in this 1965 brawl between the L.A. Dodgers and in-state rival the San Francisco Giants.
With two future Hall of Fame pitchers on the mound that day (Juan Marichal for the Giants and Sandy Koufax for the Dodgers) Marchial had brushed back a few L.A. hitters in hopes of setting the tone for the game. When he had his turn at the plate, Dodgers catcher John Roseboro retaliated, throwing the ball back a wee too close to Marichal's ear, which, naturally, he wasn't happy with.
After a few repeats of this little trick, Marichal clocked Roseboro on the head with his bat. The blow opened up a two-inch gash that required 14 stitches and started a bench-clearing melee.
Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees
As you can see throughout this list, any time two divisional rivals matchup against one another, there's no telling what might happen. The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles proved that during this ridiculous 1998 fight in the old Yankee Stadium.
After Orioles pitcher Armando Benitez clocked Yankees player Tino Martinez in the back, it was fully on, with the pitcher putting his dukes up and looking for someone to fight. That someone ended up being New York's Darryl Strawberry, who took a sucker-punch from Benitez and, in the end, nearly every player was involved in some way.