Cross-Town Classic Becomes Cross-Town Brawl

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Cross-Town Classic Becomes Cross-Town Brawl

By Kaycee Nilson
May 22, 2006

On Saturday, May 20, 2006, the Chicago Cubs played the Chicago White Sox in a rivalry that has lasted longer than I have been alive. The score in this particular game doesn’t matter. What matters is the bench-clearing fight in the second inning.

Sox player, A.J. Pierzynski, ran over Cubs’ catcher Michael Barrett and then slapped home base as a sign of his accomplishment. Barrett jumped up, grabbed Pierzynski and landed a right cross that would have made Mohammed Ali proud. Then before anyone could react, both benches cleared and Scott Podsednik grabbed Barrett and landed a good solid punch.

White Sox center fielder, Brian Anderson, took cheap shots at Cubs first baseman, John Mabry. Barrett, Mabry, Anderson and Pierzynski were all ejected from the game after the officials tore the two teams apart and for fifteen minutes tried to figure out who landed what punch on who.

Normally it is the fans in the grandstand that get into these types of punching matches, not the players themselves.

Dusty Baker, manager of the Chicago Cubs, agreed with the decision of the officials because his catcher, Barrett was in the wrong. Ozzie Guillen, manager of the Chicago White Sox, had to say that the fight today would bring his team closer together and they would play better ball.

I’m sorry, but what does a boxing match have to do with baseball??

What will Sunday’s game bring us in the finish of this Cross-Town Classic? All I know is that not only will the fans need to be wearing catcher’s masks, but it might not be a bad thing to issue them to all the players on the teams either! LOL!

This is a weekend of “Cross-Town Classics” and old rivalries. This weekend, The Yankees are playing the New York Mets. The Los Angeles Angels are playing the Los Angeles Dodgers. And the Oakland A’s are playing San Francisco Giants. The Texas Rangers are playing the Houston Astros, Washington is playing Baltimore. Boston is playing against Philadelphia and Cincinnati is playing Detroit. There are probably more that I am missing, but I doubt that any other rivalries are becoming brawls between players and the brawls are being kept in the stands.

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About the author: Kaycee Nilson has completed her first novel, "Night Falls on Chicago." The first two chapters can be viewed at http://www.KayceeNilson.com.

Besides writing columns for Useless-Knowledge and Speedway Media, Kaycee is currently working on two more novels, "From the Mind of a Vampire", and "I'll Love You Til You Die."

If you have enjoyed what you read, or would like to leave Kaycee a message, please visit her message board at http://www.KayceeNilson.com/Board

Email: Kaycee@kayceenilson.com

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