I was across the Bay at the Raiders game in Oakland. The biggest cheer of the game came when Juan went after Roseboro. Seems everyone was following the game on the radio.
I still hate the Dodgers.
"Giants pitcher Juan Marichal steps up to the plate, and after the second pitch, a ball low and away, catcher John Roseboro returns the ball to pitcher Sandy Koufax, but he offends Marichal by throwing it close to his head.
Marichal’s reaction is unprecedented:
He attacks Roseboro, hitting him in the head with his bat and setting off an epic, 14-minute brawl.
Years later John Roseboro admitted he intentionally threw close to Juan Marichal’s head in retaliation for Marichal “brushing back” Dodgers hitters.
"Fights that erupt under pennant pressure are not unusual, but they are always fist fights."
Indeed home plate umpire Shag Crawford said after the game that he would not have ejected Marichal:
"If he had fought with his fists."
Using a bat in a brawl, however, was unheard of.
In an apology issued the next day, Juan Marichal claimed he used his bat because he was worried Roseboro would hit him with his catcher’s mask.
Captain Willie Mays rushed over to his best friend in baseball to push him away.
Willie Mays, now with his uniform spattered with blood, placed his head gently on Johnny Roseboro's chest and cried:
"Johnny, Johnny, I'm so sorry."
In the late 1970's, Roseboro and Marichal met at an old-timers game and for the first time, discussed the fight.
"We shook hands," Roseboro said.
And I said maybe we shouldn't because now they wouldn't have anything to write about."
When Johnny Roseboro died, Juan Marichal served as a pallbearer at his funeral. "Johnny's forgiving me was one of the best things that happened in my life, I wish I could have had John Roseboro as my catcher."
Juan Marichal.