Today, thirty-six years ago, the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres have a “slugfest” throughout most of the game. But with the term slugfest, one should not think of a game full of extra base hits.
On that memorable day in 1984, the very first pitch of the game, thrown by Pascual Perez, hits Padres’ leadoff hitter Alan Wiggins. As a result, the benches clear for the first fight of the game.
In the second inning, when Padres’ starter Ed Whitson throws behind the head of Perez, the players run on the field for the second time. In the fifth, the eighth and the ninth innings, the benches clear as the Padres use Perez as a target every time he steps into the batter’s box.
The foundation for the heated game was laid the day before when San Diego second baseman Alan Wiggins had repeatedly tried to lay down bunts for base hits. Braves right-hander Pascual Perez was sitting in the dugout, at the first-base end, charting pitches. After the third bunt attempt, he recalled, Perez “started yelling at Wiggins. ‘Swing the bat. …’ You know, baseball crap. They were yelling back and forth at each other, and then the fourth one they got on each other again, screaming.”
Eventually, the Braves will win the game 5-3. seventeen players will be ejected
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