Sports: 'Unwritten rules' about respect

'Unwritten rules' about respect

By KEVIN KELLY

Of the many incidents Tim McCarver recalled during a brief conversation, the first was 34 years old but as vivid as five minutes ago.

"It was a huge fight," he said Thursday. "(Bob) Gibson knocked Tony Perez to the ground. ... A policeman ended up having his jaw broken."

The "unwritten rules" everybody's talking about this season were well in place in 1967 when McCarver was catching for the Cardinals.

Reds pitcher Don Nottebart believed Lou Brock was wrong for trying to steal during a game believed out of reach and later beaned Brock to incite a brawl.

"It's always been a dicey issue," McCarver, a veteran of 1,909 career games, said when asked about baseball's code of conduct. "But for the most part, for the guys who've played the game, it's right, it's respectful and it's the way the game should be played."

Opinions vary.

When is it right to stop trying for a win? Seattle manager Lou Piniella and Cleveland skipper Charlie Manuel removed key players during a 14-2 rout Aug. 5 only to watch as the Indians came from behind to win in the 11th.

Is it ever acceptable to break up a no-hitter with a bunt? Padres catcher Ben Davis did it to Curt Schilling this season and drew the ire of Arizona manager Bob Brenly.

Can you steal when your team is ahead comfortably as Rickey Henderson did against Milwaukee, an action that so peeved Brewers manager Davey Lopes that he threatened Henderson publicly and received a two-game suspension?

"There's kind of an understanding that we're all here competing against each other, whether it's our sport or another sport," Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina said. "And in the process of games you don't try to embarrass your opponent. You're doing everything you can to win the game, but you're not trying to embarrass them in the process."

Whether one approves or not, baseball's "unwritten rules" will forever be part of the game. As long as there are veteran players and managers, there will be youngsters taking mental note and following in stride.

No matter how bad the relief pitching gets.

"The reason older players pass these rules down is they respect the game," McCarver said. "You respect the competition. You respect the game and the people you're playing against."

A'S ALL AROUND: The A's 31-10 record since June 27, through Friday, is best in the majors and has them one game ahead of Boston in the wild-card race. "We knew we had this kind of club all along, and now we're hot," first baseman Jason Giambi said. "We kind of knew we were going to get hot the second half because we played so poorly the first half."

ONLY IN L.A.: When Aaron Boone homered against the Dodgers on Aug. 2 at Dodger Stadium, the Reds third baseman noticed his teammates were on the top step of the dugout as he rounded the bases.

"I've never seen so many players standing on the top step of the dugout after one of my home runs in my life," Boone said, according to Bill Arnold's Beyond the Boxscore column. "The only trouble was that they were all looking into the stands and not at me."

Hugh Hefner and six Playboy Playmates were sitting in the stands.

WHO'S THE TOUGHEST: According to the Angels' Darin Erstad, the toughest pitcher he has faced isn't Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson or Roger Clemens.

It's Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte.

"He's deceptive, has great stuff, changes speeds, has a nasty cutter, has a great arm angle and he's a great competitor," said Erstad, 5-for-32 against Pettitte. "That's a great combination."

BY THE NUMBERS: Arizona pitchers Johnson and Schilling have struck out at least 10 batters in 27 of their 50 outings this season. ... The Brewers had struck out in double figures in six of nine games through Friday. For the season, they had struck out 971 times. The record is 1,268 by the 1996 Detroit Tigers.

THE LAST WORD: "This is when you make a name for yourself in sports: crunch time," Schilling said. "It's easy to play on a losing team. There's no pressure. But when there's something on the line, that's when you distinguish yourself."

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.