Harmonica Incident

On this date in 1964, after a Yankee loss to the Chicago White Sox, Phil Linz was in the back of the team bus playing a plaintive version of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on his harmonica. Yankee manager Yogi Berra thought the sad cowboy style mixed with a children's nursery rhyme was mocking the team. He told Linz to pipe down, but Linz didn't hear and kept playing. Berra became infuriated and called back from the front of the bus, "If you don't knock that off, I'm going to come back there and kick your ass." Linz couldn't hear the words over the music, so he asked Mickey Mantle what Berra had said. Mantle responded, "He said to play it louder." This led Berra storming to the back of the bus and slapping the harmonica out of Linz's hands.

This altercation convinced the Yankees' front office that Berra had lost control of the team and could not command respect from his players. As a result, the decision was made to fire Berra at the end of the season. And even though the Yankees eventually won the pennant, Berra was fired.

Thanks a lot, Mick.