1983 Yankees

Billy Martin walked back into the Bronx for the third time on January 11, 1983, and the circus picked up right where it left off. But this time, something different came with the chaos -- a 22-year-old kid from Indiana who'd spend most of the year bouncing between Columbus and the big-league bench, a no-hitter thrown on the Fourth of July, and one of the most infamous moments in baseball history involving a Kansas City third baseman, a jar of pine tar, and a home plate umpire who probably wished he'd called in sick. The 1983 Yankees went 91-71, finished third in the AL East, and didn't make the playoffs. What they did produce was far more interesting than a postseason berth.

Billy's Back (Again)

Steinbrenner announced Martin's hiring under a "long-term contract," which in Steinbrenner's vocabulary meant "until I get bored or angry, whichever comes first." Billy's third stint brought the familiar intensity -- the arguments with umpires, the confrontations with opposing managers, the general sense that the dugout might combust at any moment. But Martin could still manage a game better than almost anyone alive, and the 91 wins proved it.

Ron Guidry had a vintage season, going 21-9 and reminding everyone that Louisiana Lightning still had plenty of voltage. Dave Righetti added 14 wins from the rotation, and Shane Rawley matched him with 14 of his own. The staff was deep and effective, allowing just 703 runs while the offense scored 770.

The Pine Tar Game

On July 24, the most controversial moment in modern baseball history unfolded at Yankee Stadium. George Brett of the Kansas City Royals stepped to the plate in the top of the ninth inning with two outs and a runner on first. The Royals trailed 4-3. Brett launched a Goose Gossage fastball into the right-field seats for a two-run homer, giving Kansas City a 5-4 lead.

Then Billy Martin asked the umpires to check Brett's bat.

The rule was obscure but real: pine tar couldn't extend more than 18 inches up the bat handle. Brett's bat was caked well past the limit. Home plate umpire Tim McClelland measured the bat against home plate, held it up, and called Brett out -- nullifying the home run and ending the game with a Yankees victory.

What happened next became legend. Brett charged out of the dugout in a rage so primal it's been replayed a million times since. His eyes were wild. Teammates held him back. The Royals protested the ruling.

And the Royals won the protest. AL President Lee MacPhail overturned the call, ruling that the pine tar rule was about equipment, not competitive advantage, and that the home run should stand. The game was resumed on August 18 from the point of Brett's homer, and the Royals won 5-4. Martin, furious, had his players appeal at every base when play resumed -- a petty, brilliant bit of gamesmanship that accomplished nothing but made Billy feel better.

The Kid From Indiana

Bobby Murcer retired on June 11, and his roster spot went to a left-handed hitting first baseman from the Columbus Clippers. Don Mattingly had been up briefly in April before getting sent back down, but this time he stuck. In 279 at-bats, the rookie hit .283 with 4 home runs and 32 RBI -- modest numbers that didn't hint at what was coming. He played first base, he played the outfield, he did whatever Martin asked without complaint.

Nobody outside the organization was paying much attention. Inside it, the scouts and coaches knew. This kid could flat-out hit.

Righetti's Masterpiece

On July 4 -- George Steinbrenner's birthday -- Dave Righetti took the mound against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium and threw a no-hitter. He'd been snubbed from the All-Star team twice, and the anger fueled him. Righetti struck out Wade Boggs -- the best contact hitter in the American League -- to end it, and the Stadium erupted. It was the first Yankees no-hitter since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, and the first by a Yankees left-hander since 1917.

Martin said afterward that, for the first time in his baseball life, he'd prayed during a game. The final score was 4-0, and it remains one of the great pitching performances in franchise history.

Murcer's Farewell

Before Mattingly could arrive, Bobby Murcer had to leave. The beloved outfielder played his final game on June 11 and announced his retirement on June 20. Murcer, who'd been a Yankee across three decades (1965-1974, 1979-1983), immediately transitioned to the WPIX broadcast booth, where he'd spend the next 25 years as the voice of Yankees nostalgia. His departure closed one chapter and opened another -- the roster spot that Murcer vacated went directly to Mattingly.

Winfield's Career Year

Dave Winfield had the best offensive season of his Yankees career: .283 batting average, 32 home runs, 116 runs scored, and 99 RBI. His 116 runs led the team and demonstrated his ability to combine power with on-base skills. Don Baylor, the free-agent acquisition from the previous offseason, contributed 21 home runs and a batting average above .300, giving the middle of the lineup a veteran presence that complemented Winfield's production.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Yankees' record in 1983?

The Yankees finished 91-71, third in the AL East, seven games behind the division-winning Baltimore Orioles. Billy Martin managed his third stint with the club.

What happened in the Pine Tar Game?

On July 24, 1983, George Brett's go-ahead home run was nullified when Billy Martin protested that Brett's bat had pine tar exceeding the 18-inch limit. Brett was called out, but the Royals won a protest, and the game was resumed on August 18 with the home run reinstated. Kansas City won 5-4.

When did Dave Righetti throw his no-hitter?

Righetti no-hit the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1983, at Yankee Stadium. He struck out Wade Boggs for the final out. It was the first Yankees no-hitter since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.

When did Don Mattingly join the Yankees full-time?

Mattingly was called up from Columbus in June 1983, taking the roster spot created by Bobby Murcer's retirement. He hit .283 in 279 at-bats in his first extended big-league action and won the batting title the following year.