San Francisco Giants And Los Angeles Dodgers Clear Benches

On August 22, 1965, Hall of Fame pitcher and San Francisco Giants great, Juan Marichal hits Los Angeles Dodgers’ catcher John Roseboro on the head with his bat causing a benches clearing brawl between the two rival teams.

Marichal is also remembered for a notorious incident that occurred on August 22, 1965, in a game played against the Giants' arch-rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Twice in the first three innings, Marichal had thrown near the head of Dodger leadoff batter Maury Wills.

As Marichal was batting against Sandy Koufax in the last of the third inning, Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro's return throws to the mound flew too close to his head and one grazed his ear. Words were exchanged, and Roseboro, throwing off his catcher's helmet and mask, rose to continue the argument.

Marichal responded by repeatedly hitting Roseboro's unprotected head with his bat.

The benches cleared into a 14-minute brawl, while Giants captain Willie Mays escorted the bleeding Roseboro (who would require 14 stitches) back to the clubhouse.

Marichal was ejected, suspended for nine days and fined $1,750 (equivalent to $12,749 as of 2013). He was also barred from attending the Giants' final series with the Dodgers, in Los Angeles on September 6–7.

Photos of the incident (Official Baseball Guide 1966, Sporting News, p. 19) also show Tito Fuentes (who was in the on-deck circle) wielding a bat threateningly, but Fuentes did not actually hit Roseboro and was not ejected.

Roseboro sat out the next couple of games and returned to the lineup on August 25. Roseboro filed a lawsuit against Marichal, but eventually settled out of court, supposedly for $7,000 ($50,996 as of 2013), Marichal and Roseboro would eventually go on to become close friends, reconciling any personal animosity and even autographing photographs of the brawl.

Many people protested the apparently light punishment meted out, since it would cost Marichal only one or two starts. The Giants were in a tight pennant race with the Dodgers (as well as the Pirates, Reds, and Braves) and the race was decided with only two games to play.

The Giants, who ended up winning the August 22 game and were down only one-half game afterward, eventually losing the pennant by two games.

Ironically, the Giants went on a 14-game win streak that started during Marichal's absence and by then it was a two-team race as the Pirates, Reds, and Braves fell further behind.

But then the Dodgers won 15 of their final 16 games (after Marichal had returned) to win the pennant.

Marichal won in his first game back, 2–1 against the Astros on September 9, (the same day Koufax pitched his perfect game against the Cubs,) but lost his last three decisions as the Giants slumped in the season's final week.

Marichal would go on to enjoy another 10 years of baseball playing for the Giants before leaving to play with the Boston Red Sox and finally the Los Angeles Dodgers before he retired in 1975.

Marichal was a 10-time All-Star, including two appearances in 1962 when Major League Baseball hosted two All-Star Games. He was also part of the Summer Classic for eight consecutive years from 1962-1969. In 1965 Marichal was also named the MLB All-Star Game MVP. Although he never won an MVP or Cy Young Award, Marichal was in the MVP talk seven times during his career, being in the top 10 in voting three times. He was also in the top 10 in Cy Young voting once.

Marichal ended his career with 243 wins, 142 losses and two saves in 471 games with 457 starts. He compiled a 2.89 ERA with 2,303 strikeouts, and 791 walks, 82 intentional over 3,507 innings pitched. Marichal threw 244 complete games in his career with 52 shutouts.

Marichal led the league in wins twice, with his highest single season total coming in 1968 with 26. He also led the league in complete games twice, with his highest single season total also coming in 1968 with 30. Marichal also led the league in innings pitched twice, with his highest single season total also coming in 1968.

Marichal also led the league in shutouts twice, with his highest single season total coming in 1965 with 10. Marichal also led the league in ERA once, with his lowest single season ERA coming in 1969 with a mark of 2.10.

Marichal was inducted into Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983 with 83.7 percent of the vote on the third ballot in which he was nominated.

Although he had many memorable moments during his career, one the most memorable was his involvement in the brawl with the Dodgers.

Roseboro would go on to play five more years of baseball with the Dodgers, Minnesota Twins and Washington Senators before he retired.

Roseboro was a six-time All-Star selection , with two appearances in 1961 and 1962 when Major League Baseball hosted two All-Star Games. He was a three-time World Series Champion in 1959, 1963 and 1965, all with the Brooklyn-Los Angeles Dodgers. He was also a two-time Gold Glove winner, in 1961 and 1966 with the Dodgers.

Roseboro finished his 14-year career with a .249 batting average, with 1,206 hits, consisting of 190 doubles, 44 triples and 104 home runs in 1,585 games played. He also had 548 RBIs, 512 runs scored, 547 walks and 67 stolen bases. He struck out 677 times.

Although never an MVP Roseboro was in the MVP conversation three times with his highest voting reaching 13 in 1966 when he hit for .276 with 123 hits, 23 doubles, two triples and nine home runs. He had 53 RBIs and 47 runs scored that year with 44 walks and three stolen bases. He did win a Gold Glove that year.

After his playing career Roseboro served as a coach with the Washington Senators in 1971, and the California Angels from 1972-1974. Later, he served as a minor league batting instructor in 1977 and catching instructor in 1987 for the Dodgers.