Saturday’s epic brawl between Cleveland Guardians’ Jose Ramírez and Chicago White Sox’s Tim Anderson, who were ejected in the sixth inning with the White Sox leading 5–1, is getting renewed attention thanks to an enthusiastic play-by-play announcer.
“Down goes Anderson!” cried the “Voice of the Guardians” Tom Hamilton as a Ramírez right hook took Anderson to the dirt, with “a boxing breakdown that would have made legendary fighting voices Howard Cosell, Al Bernstein, and Jim Lampley extremely proud,” according to Sports Illustrated writer Frankie Taddeo.
“José and Anderson square off. They’re fighting. They’re swinging. Down goes Anderson. Down goes Anderson!” Hamilton said.
Watch the video here:
Sports Illustrated’s Taddeo described the on-field fight, which had built during the game, but was set off when Ramírez slid into second, where Anderson tagged him and “the two began exchanging words”:
Ramírez apparently took issue with how Anderson tagged him in the head area, and the two began exchanging words and pointing fingers. Separating from the umpires, the two dropped their gloves and squared up like combatants seen in a ring. Both benches cleared which resulted in a lengthy skirmish with plenty of pushing and shoving before things were finally cleared after a 14-minute delay.
Cleveland Guardians radio announcer Tom Hamilton introduces the team before a game against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field on April 7, 2023, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
However, the leadup to the brawl started during Friday night’s game, according to Akron Beacon Journal writer Ryan Lewis:
In Friday’s game, replays show that Anderson pushed Guardians rookie Brayan Rocchio off second base with a tag at second base. The Guardians didn’t appreciate it, and the controversial call — Rocchio was called out even though Anderson pushed him off the bag rather than simply tagging him — eventually got manager Terry Francona ejected.
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“I think he’s been disrespecting the game for a while,” Ramirez said through a team translator. “I even had the chance to tell him [earlier] during the game, ‘Don’t do this stuff. That’s disrespectful. Don’t start tagging people like that because, in reality, we’re here trying to find ways to provide for our families.’ And when he does things he does on the bases, he can get somebody out of the game.”
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“I was telling him to stop doing that, and then as soon as that play happened, he tagged me again really hard, more than needed,” Ramirez said. “And then he had the reaction, he said I want to fight, and if you want to fight, I have to defend myself.”
Anderson was not on Chicago’s starting lineup for Sunday’s game, where Ramírez was on the Guardian’s roster, as Chicago beat Cleveland 5 – 3.