The three-way 1982 NL West race was unforgettable, but we usually hear the story from the Dodger perspective, with a touch of San Francisco. Here is a wide-ranging look from the Atlanta side, thanks to this history (written by Jason Foster for The Sporting News) of a season-long documentary being made about the team.
Included is the video above of a Dodgers-Braves controversy I had no memory of …
During a crucial game against the Dodgers, Torre went ballistic over an umpire’s decision to send a runner back to third, rather than allow him to score, after a portion of a wall in foul territory collapsed and sent fans spilling onto the field.
Torre didn’t hold back, unleashing a colorful tirade that almost certainly would get a manager ejected today, but brought no repercussions in 1982.
Diamond, listening in real time on a headset, looked to audio engineer Ken Noland with an expression that said both, “Can you believe we’re getting this?!” and “Good luck editing that.”
“We really had to bleep that out,” Diamond said with a laugh. “I remember back in the edit room, in the audio room, that took us a few days to go through that and take all the … language out.”
Do read Foster’s entire story, which among other things, introduces a surprise narrator for the documentary whom Dodger fans will appreciate.
Linkmeister
Actually two surprises: one, the narrator’s participation, and two, the producer’s later job.
dalegribel
Wonder how modern day Torre would punish 1982 Torre for this aggressive behavior towards the umpires?
michaelgreenlasvegas
In the early 1980s, Torre followed West down the runway to continue an argument and West shoved him. Torre was fined, while West was fined and suspended. Now, Cowboy Joe is often called a showboat, etc. But I remember the story of when Billy Martin threw dirt in the face of umpire Terry Cooney. Someone asked Jocko Conlan, a Hall of Fame umpire, what would have happened if Martin had done that to him. Jocko replied that Martin would have been carried off the field.