The Yankees, tied for first place in the division, were leading the Royals 4-3 in the ninth inning when they brought acclaimed relief pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage into the game. With a runner on base and two outs, perennial all-star George Brett stepped to the plate and blasted a two-run home run to give the Royals the lead.

But Yankees manager Billy Martin walked up to the umpire and said there was an illegal amount of pine tar on Brett’s bat. Umpire Tim McClelland, confounded that Martin had invoked such an obscure rule about a sticky substance used by players to help grip the bat, measured and found that there was indeed too much pine tar.

McClelland signaled Brett out, disallowing the home run and resulting in a 4-3 Yankees win. Brett, infuriated, bounded out of the dugout toward McCelland, shouting as other umpires held him back.

Four days later, American League president Lee McPhail concurred with the Royals’ formal protest and said that a game’s outcome shouldn’t be determined by such a rule.

Despite Yankee objections and even court proceedings, the home run was allowed and the game was resumed on August 18, with two outs in the ninth and the Royals ahead 5-4.

Martin mockingly stationed players Don Mattingly and Ron Guidry out of position. He then argued that Brett missed first and second base when he rounded the bases in July. Expecting this, the crew chief had statements from the original umpires that Brett had touched the bases.

The Royals finally won the game 25 days after it started, and Brett’s pine-tar bat is now on display at the Hall of Fame.