Graig Nettles Kicks George Brett so Brett Punches Nettles, a breakdown

In a hard-fought 1977 ALCS matchup between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals, tensions boil over in Game 5 between two of the game's fiercest competitors - Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles and Royals star George Brett. The Yankees lead the best-of-five series 3-1 and in the top of the ninth inning, the game is deadlocked at 4-4. With runners on the corners and one out, Nettles fields a ground ball and fires to second base, trying to turn a crucial double play. As Brett slides hard into the bag, Nettles delivers a vicious kick to Brett's face, scraping his chin. Enraged, Brett immediately leaps up and retaliates, unleashing a powerful punch that connects flush on Nettles' head. The two players then tumble to the ground, exchanging more blows as the benches clear and players from both teams rush to separate the combatants. Yankees catcher Thurman Munson tries in vain to pull the players apart, while manager Billy Martin wisely shepherds his players to the safety of the dugout. Remarkably, despite the wild melee, neither Nettles nor Brett is ejected and both players are allowed to remain in the game. After the dust settles, Brett explains, "He kicked me and I slugged him. I didn't come in dirty or anything - that's just how it was." Nettles offers no objection, acknowledging the fierce competitiveness of the series between the longtime AL rivals. The Yankees would go on to win Game 5 by a score of 5-4, clinching the pennant and advancing to the World Series. But this heated exchange between two of the game's fiercest competitors will forever be etched in the lore of this classic ALCS matchup.