Drilled.... and Pissed

Question for you: what do Nick O'Keefe, Brian Curran, Adam Kulis, Jim Farrell and Brian Millea have in common?

Answer: earlier this week, they all plunked one batter or more in South Boston's 9-5 win over the McKay Club. It was a weird game that saw a first inning grand slam by Kent Anderson, some poor base running and flaring tempers.

While it was fun on the bench, trying to figure out what make-shift weapons we would take to the field with us in the case of a brawl stemming from seven hit batters in one game, the occurrence was more an aberration that anything else. Seven HBPs in one game? Really? That shouldn't happen.

Mike Barthel of the Beacons took the brunt of this extravaganza, as he took one off the hands in the first inning and another between the numbers in the third. After his back got zapped by a Jim Farrell (now 3-1 this season) fastball, he took two steps towards the mound, probably more in frustration than anything, and tempers flared momentarily.

But the bigger question I pose to you guys out there is this: have you ever seen a legitimate bench-clearing brawl in the Yawkey League? When was it? Was it an all-out Donnybrook? Care to share your experience?

The other, less-interesting and colorful question is, Have you ever seen seven hit-batters one a YBL game? Share if you'd like. It's such a once-in-a-career occurrence that I'd love to know if it has ever happened before.

Thanks for returning if you frequented this blog last season. If you're a first-timer, welcome and know that the YBL News Blog should be back in mid-season form soon. Summer is upon us, and the Yawkey League is teeming with story lines. If there's anything you'd like to see here this summer, shoot me an email.