The 1977 ALCS between the Yankees and Royals was a rough series, and Game 5 brought out the heat. One of the wildest moments came when George Brett hit a deep shot that Mickey Rivers almost caught at the wall. The ball rolled away, Brett hustled to third for a triple, and things quickly escalated. As he slid into third, Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles appeared to push or bounce Brett off the bag. Brett took exception, and Nettles responded with a clear kick to Brett’s face. That set Brett off, and he landed a solid punch on Nettles.
What followed was a chaotic scuffle. Thurman Munson jumped in to separate players, and eventually both benches emptied. Even a New York cop near the field just stood by, watching it unfold. Billy Martin, the Yankees manager, grabbed the officer and stayed out of the pile. Despite the chaos, no one got ejected. Brett stayed on third. Nettles stayed in the game. Brett said later that Nettles kicked him, so he punched him. Just like that. No drama, no apologies, just postseason energy at full tilt.