"I began calling him names and he hollered back at me" - When Joe Pepitone opened up on one of the biggest brawls caused in Yankee Stadium
Late into the 1963 season, things erupted between New York Yankees slugger Joe Pepitone and Cleveland Indians hurler Gary Bell. It is still deemed one of the biggest brawls at Yankee Stadium, and for good reason.
The two clubs just finished the first of a doubleheader, and early into the second game, Pepitone was hit. This was just the start as two other players were hit after on both sides and a few other pitches were close to making contact.
In the eighth inning, Pepitone stepped up to the plate again and was hit for the second time. Pepitone walked to first base and then proceeded to charge the mound which resulted in a huge brawl. However, Pepitone believes he was provoked, per Bleacher Report's Harold Friend.
"I was all right until I got to first base. Then I began calling him names and he hollered back at me, daring me to come to him. So I did," Pepitone said.
While the brawl was ugly and lasted longer than most, neither player held hatred toward the other. Bell insisted that was true in a report following the game.
"I wasn't trying to hit him. In fact, I'm not mad at anybody. But he kept shouting profanity at me and I won't have that from anybody" Bell said.
The brawl between Joe Pepitone and Gary Bell resulted in multiple injuries
Being one of the biggest brawls involving the Yankees, there were multiple injuries after the fact. Cleveland's rookie, Larry Brown got the worst of it, suffering a laceration on an already injured foot that required stitches.
Dick Howser was spiked and Fred Whitfield suffered head and facial bruises. However, it did not stop at just players. Yankees' manager Ralph Houk pulled a muscle in the brawl. Cleveland manager Birdie Tebbetts suffered a cut on his foot.
Despite the brawl, the game still went on. The Bronx Bombers went on to take down Cleveland 3-1. Coincidentally, that was the same score of Game 1 of the doubleheader.
Unfortunately, Joe Pepitone passed away last year. He suffered a heart attack at the age of 82. He is survived by his five children.
The slugger will forever be remembered for his time in the big leagues. He finished his career with 219 home runs, becoming a three-time All-Star and winning three Gold Gloves in the process.