This Thursday, the Boston Red Sox will host the Kansas City Royals, for at least one inning and possibly more, of the continuation of their game on Aug. 7 that was interrupted by rain at the end of nine innings with the score tied at 4-4.

Should one of the teams score in the 10th inning and the other not, the game would last one inning, however, like all extra innings games, it could go on for many more. Since the game starts at 1 p. m. at Fenway Park, and since the Sox must be in San Diego to start a series with the Padres at 7:10 p.m., (10:10 Eastern time), on Friday, the Sox probably hope it ends quickly, one way or the other. 

It was exactly 36 years ago tomorrow that what was probably the most famous interrupted game in baseball history was completed. This game also involved the Kansas City Royals and was played at Yankee Stadium in New York. 

It was the continuation of the infamous Pine Tar Game which began on July 24, 1983. With the Yankees ahead 4-3 and two outs in the top of the ninth, the Royals’ future Hall of Famer, George Brett, came to bat with U. L. Washington on base. Brett homered, off the Yankee future Hall of Famer, Goose Gossage, driving in Washington with the tying run and scoring the winning run himself.

Yankee Manager Billy Martin complained to Rookie Umpire Tim McLellan that the pine tar on Brett’s bat exceeded the 18” limit in the rule and, after measuring the pine tar and finding it exceeded the limits, McLellan ruled the bat illegal and called Brett out for the third out of the inning, giving the Yankees the win and sending Brett into a rage. The footage of Brett charging the umpires and being restrained is probably one of the most rebroadcast baseball scenes ever.

The Royals protested the call and American League President Lee McPhail upheld the protest and directed that the game be continued beginning with two outs in the top of the ninth, with Kansas City ahead 5-4. 

The Yankees filed a protest and, after that was rejected, the game was resumed in Yankee Stadium on Aug.18 at 1 p.m., with 1,245 of the original 33,944 fans, who used their ticket stubs for admission, present.

With the same umpiring crew that started the game on July 24 and McLellan behind the plate, Yankee reliever George Frazier faced the Royals’ Hal McRae as the game resumed and struck him out to end the top of the ninth.

Dam Quisenberry took the mound for the Royals in the last of the ninth with his team up 5-4. He got Don Mattingly to fly to center for the first out. Mattingly, who was batting in the seventh spot, had been moved from first base to second, a rare left-handed second baseman, to start the continued game in order to get Ken Griffey in the game at first base. That put Griffey batting at leadoff in the order should that spot came up in the ninth.

Quisenberry then got Roy Smalley to fly to left. Martin had placed his pitching ace, Ron Guidry, in center field, batting ninth, to start the continued game anticipating the use of a pinch hitter in the ninth. He sent up Oscar Gamble, to hit for Guidry, and he grounded to Frank White at second base to end the game and give the Royals the win.

The completion of the last four outs of the game took 12 minutes and there were just 16 pitches thrown. Imagine the Royals flying into Boston, this Thursday, the two teams taking half a day to get ready for the game and, 12 minutes after it started, the game is over. Imagine the fans, driving to the ballpark, fighting the traffic, paying a ridiculous rate for parking, buying a $10 beer only to have the game over before the beer is gone.

All this and the game will probably mean nothing in the overall scheme as neither team’s status as also-rans will be affected by the win or loss.

I don’t know about anyone else but, for me, the one bright light in a less than shiny season for the Red Sox has been Rafael Devers. Watching this 22 year old, who looks 12, take apart American League pitching, looking like a kid turned loose in a candy store while he is doing it, is a special treat.

On Tuesday night, as his teammates were trying their best to give away another game to the Indians, he just kept getting hit after hit with a big smile on his face. He ended up with six hits, including four doubles in that game, a feat never accomplished in the modern era of baseball. 

Watching him interact with fielders when he is on base after getting a hit would be worth the exorbitant price of a ticket to Fenway. He is thoroughly enjoying an unbelievable season in a way that only he can understand. 

Can anyone imagine being 22, in your second full year in baseball, batting .325, second best in the league, while leading the league in hits 158, runs batted in, 93, doubles, 43 and total bases, 279, on August 14, with 40 games still to play? 

After having an excellent season in his first full year in the Majors last year, he has taken the league by storm in his second. They used to say that players had a “sophomore slump” after a good first full year. I guess Devers didn’t get that memo.

If only his teammates had played the way they played last year. If they had, he would have his birthday, Oct. 24, off between the second and third games of the World Series. Unfortunately, he will probably be back in the Dominican for his birthday while the Yankees or Astros represent the league in the Fall Classic, but no one can take away the pleasure he has brought to me and many other fans with his exuberance and performance.

I just hope the Red Sox don’t lose him or Mookie Betts. They could be the best 1-2 punch in baseball for many years.

Carl Johnson is a noted baseball lecturer and author. His books include the popular series “THE BASEBALL BUFF’S BATHROOM BOOKS” and “THE BEST TEAM EVER?” which chronicles the Red Sox 2018 World Series win.