These Guys Really Disliked Each Other

Thirteen years ago today, relations between umpire Ron Luciano and Baltimore Manager Earl Weaver, never the best to begin with, reached unprecedented depths. Setting a record that can’t be broken, Luciano threw him out in both games of a doubleheader.

Here’s how they regarded each other:

Luciano: “I hate Earl Weaver with a passion. I met Weaver in my second year in baseball. I threw him out that first night and three nights after that. Our relationship has gone downhill ever since. He’s about 3-foot-1. I tell him to get his nose off my kneecap.”

Weaver: “He’s sick. I would suggest that the league prescribe medical help. Luciano stumbles and almost falls sometimes. Once I saw him show up late at second base with a Coke in his hand.”

Add Insults: Weaver: “Just look for the biggest, fattest guy with the biggest mouth, and that’ll be Luciano.”

Luciano: “Well, you know how tall Earl is. Can you imagine going through life without seeing a parade?”

Weaver: “I’m sorry Luciano is mentally ill and won’t umpire any of our games this season.”

Luciano: “I don’t care who wins the pennant, as long as it isn’t Baltimore.”

Add Aug. 15: On this date in 1916, Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox beat Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators, 1-0, in 13 innings at Fenway Park.

According to Jim Kaplan of the “Baseball Research Journal,” Ruth and Johnson met 10 times. Ruth went 6-2 with an ERA of 1.44. Johnson was 4-6 with an ERA of 1.54.

Trivia Time: Name a man who was president of teams that won the Super Bowl and the World Series in the same year. (Answer below.)

From Marty Noble of Newsday: “Billy Martin, discussing his most recent tenure as the Yankees’ manager with sportscaster Bill Mazer on WFAN-AM in New York, delivered this wonderful malaprop: ‘I think we had the togetherness and the chemicals at that time that could do it all.’ ”

Add Noble: On San Francisco’s Brett Butler: “When he increased his major-league hit total to 1,000, teammate Mike Krukow put two inscriptions on the ball. On one side: ‘1,000th career hit.’ On the other: ‘994th infield single.’ ”

Wrote Peter King of Newsday after Phil McConkey’s 26-yard touchdown reception gave the New York Giants a 24-21 exhibition victory over the New York Jets: “This game was about to rank up there with ‘The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes,’ ‘Fire Maidens From Planet X,’ ‘Ishtar,’ and ‘The Giants’ 1987 Highlight Film’ until Phil McConkey of the Giants rode in on his annual training camp white horse to save it.”

Trivia Answer: Edward Bennett Williams. He was president of the Washington Redskins who beat the Miami Dolphins, 27-17, in the 1983 Super Bowl and the Baltimore Orioles who beat the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the 1983 World Series.

Quotebook

Edward Bennett Williams, who died Saturday, came up with this classic shortly after hiring George Allen to coach the Washington Redskins: “We gave him an unlimited expense account and he’s already exceeded it.”