What the heck is pine tar anyway?

By Apr 24, 2014, 5:25 PM EDT
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My entire life experience with pine tar is (a) watching George Brett go crazy after the famous pine tar game homer; and (b) seeing pitchers get in trouble for putting it on their hands. I really don’t know what pine tar is or what its non-baseball uses are.

Thank goodness for people who do. Like the folks at NBC News who explain here what the stuff actually is. Insert that old “The More You Know” graphic.

In other NBC News news, I will be on NBC Nightly News tonight talking about Michael Pineda and the pine tar junk. It’ll be the last segment, because The Man can’t handle me before 6:45. And I am wearing a tie, so you know it’s special. Anything for Brian Williams.

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Associated PressMar 31, 2023, 8:02 PM EDT
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.