*****back when I was growing up, this would never have happened..back then (mid-60's) if someone hit a home run off of Bob Gibson or Don Drysdale, the next batter up KNEW he was gonna hit the dirt on the first pitch..they'd get up, dust themselves off and play ball..today if that happens, there's words, then a fight, then suspensions..players get away with it precisely because no one will do anything about it..after all, to a player making 2 mil a year (or 20), what's 20k as a fine?*****
How about this gem? From 1965. One of the most famous fights in baseball history...
from wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodgers-Giants_Rivalry
Possibly the most notorious incident between these two clubs occurred August 22, 1965. In a game at Candlestick Park, Giants pitcher Juan Marichal had hit two Dodgers batters with brushback throws. When Marichal came up to bat later, Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax apparently had no interest in retaliation, but Marichal felt that Dodgers catcher Johnny Roseboro was interested, as he claimed Roseboro was returning Koufax's pitches dangerously close to Marichal's head. As Marichal and Roseboro began to argue, Marichal (#27) hit the Dodgers catcher on the head with his bat. A bench-clearing brawl ensued. Giants infielder Tito Fuentes (#26) also threatened to wield a bat, but did not use it. The fight was broken up by peacemakers Willie Mays of the Giants and Koufax of the Dodgers. Mays helped the badly bleeding (but not severely injured) Roseboro off the San Francisco field. Roseboro and Marichal eventually became close friends up until Roseboro's death in 2002.
I remember seeing that on the news..it was the exception..I'm not saying there weren't fights, but today they start with very little provocation i.e. pitcher goes inside (not coming close to the batter) but the batter takes exception and it's off to the races..
my point is that today's players are spoiled and ready to fight if they feel they've been "dissed"..
I think there was a hockey game in 1965 that didn't have a fight.