Sunday, June 20, 2010

MLB Inside Edition: Ranking the Most Desirable Dirty Dozen Artifacts


Part 8 of 13

6 Jason Grimsley's Grease Stained Uniform


Throughout the 10-year period from 1991 to 2000, Albert Belle was one of the most feared sluggers in the big leagues. His injury shortened career was also tainted by controversy, including an infamous incident in 1994.


After growing suspicion led the White Sox to request that Belle's bat be examined, umpires confiscated it. Although the actual blackened lumber is a desired artifact, the sequence of events that transpired afterward made for an even better memento.


With the rest of his Cleveland Indians teammates knowing that all of Belle's bats were corked, Jason Grimsley snaked through a ceiling crawl space into the umpires' locker room to swap out a replacement bat for the one originally confiscated.


Both players were busted when umpires found a "Paul Sorrento" model bat where they had left the "Albert Belle" model. Although Grimsley was spared suspension, his soiled uniform would make for the more interesting symbol of the "Batgate" caper.


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