Lloyd McClendon has spent eight seasons in the majors as a player, four as a manager and a dozen more as a coach, but most baseball fans know his name solely for his actions on one night — June 26, 2001, to be exact.
That’s when McClendon, then in his first season managing the Pirates, let loose in one of the greatest manager meltdowns in baseball history.
McClendon disagreed with a call at first base during a tie game against the Brewers, so when the umpire sent him to the showers, he decided to take the base with him. The skipper pulled the bag out of the ground, put it under his arm and — still throwing curses in the direction of the first base ump — walked straight into the clubhouse.
On Monday, the Mariners hired McClendon as their new manager, ending his eight-year tenure as a coach under Jim Leyland in Detroit. Fans in Seattle can only hope he’s still capable of providing this kind of entertainment.
Relive the epic meltdown in GIF form below (courtesy of For The Win), or scroll down to see video of the incident.
