Brawltimore

A melee erupted between the Orioles and the Mariners that lasted longer—and was much scarier—than a typical baseball skirmish

The pleasing Panorama of a sold-out Oriole park at Camden yards was defaced on Sunday by one of the ugliest baseball brawls in years, a violent fight between the Baltimore Orioles and the Seattle Mariners that interrupted their game for 20 minutes. So frenzied was the fighting that at one point umpire Durwood Merrill watched hopelessly with arms akimbo. Seven players and Mariner manager Lou Piniella (left inset) were ejected. The Orioles had taken exception to pitches thrown by Seattle's Chris Bosio behind the knees of Mark McLemore in the fifth inning and Harold Reynolds in the sixth. "Don't worry," a teammate assured Reynolds. "It will be taken care of." In the seventh, Baltimore pitcher Mike Mussina hit Bill Haselman on the shoulder with a fastball. Haselman charged Mussina, and both dugouts and bullpens emptied. Among the more bloodied participants was Oriole pitcher Mark Williamson (right inset), who vowed, "I will get even."

THREE PHOTOS

JERRY WACHTER