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Is Violence In Sports On The Rise?

 

 

Pittsburgh Steelers v Cleveland Browns
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 14: Quarterback Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers fights with defensive end Myles Garrett #95 of the Cleveland Browns during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 14, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Steelers 21-7. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

 

Violence is part of the game in many sports but Myles Garrett crossed a line that attracts the attention of authorities sometimes from within their sport and in other cases from criminal prosecutors.

The Cleveland Browns' star defensive end ripped the helmet off Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and hit him in the head with it in front of a national television audience Thursday night.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers v Cleveland Browns
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 14: Myles Garrett #95 of the Cleveland Browns walks off of the field after being ejected for fighting at the end of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 14, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Pittsburgh 21-7. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

 

The NFL swiftly suspended Garrett for at least the rest of the 2019 season and playoffs, the longest suspension for an on-field infraction in league history.

Garrett is not the only player to face stiff punishment. Here are some others:

JUAN MARICHAL

 

Colorado Rockies v San Francisco Giants
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 13: Fans entering the ball park walk a statue former San Francisco Giants pitcher and MLB Hall of Famer Juan Marichal prior to the start of the game between the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants on Opening Day at AT&T Park on April 13, 2015 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

 

Aug. 22, 1965: Juan Marichal hit John Roseboro in the head with a bat. After a high and inside pitch by the Dodgers' Sandy Koufax, Roseboro's return throw whizzed close to Marichal's ear. Roseboro, his mask still on, moved toward the Giants' Marichal, who then swung his bat and hit Roseboro on the head. The attack opened a bloody, two-inch gash. Roseboro grabbed Marichal, both benches emptied and a 15-minute scuffle ensued. Marichal was ejected and apologized the next day. Roseboro left the game at Candlestick Park with a blood-soaked towel pressed against his head and returned to the lineup three days later.

 

2011 Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 24: Hall of Famer Juan Marichal is introduced at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 24, 2011 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

 

Penalty: Marichal was suspended for eight games (he missed two starts) and fined $1,750 by the National League. Roseboro later sued Marichal for $110,000 in damages. The case was settled in 1970, with Roseboro reportedly receiving $7,500.

THE BATTLE OF BOET ERASMUS

July 13, 1974: British & Irish Lions played one of the most violent rugby matches ever. Lions players adopted a "99 call," a policy where all members of the team would gather to retaliate if they felt the opposition were being too physical and trying to injure players. Lions fullback JJ Williams at one point ran halfway down the field to launch himself at Johannes van Heerden. Scuffles all over the field ensued.

 

RUGBYU-WC-2015-FRA-ROM-MATCH11
Romania's lock Johannes Van Heerden (2nd R) grabs the ball during a Pool D match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between France and Romania at the Olympic stadium, east London, on September 23, 2015. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Penalty: No Lions player was ejected during the tour and the visitors returned home with a 3-0 win in the test series.

KERMIT WASHINGTON

Dec. 9, 1977: Rockets forward Kermit Washington punched Rudy Tomjanovich in the face during a fight at midcourt in a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston. Tomjanovich ran in to try to play peacemaker. Instead, he took a hard right-hand punch from Washington that knocked him out. Tomjanovich eventually needed multiple operations to repair facial fractures. He also suffered a concussion and other serious injuries. Tomjanovich returned the next season, though was never the same player again.

 

Rudy Tomjanovich
1 Apr 1994: Houston Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich looks on during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport

 

Penalty: Washington was fined $10,000 and suspended at least 60 days (26 games). At the time, the suspension was the longest in NBA history.

ERIC CANTONA

Jan. 25, 1996: Manchester United's Eric Cantona already had a checkered record when he was ejected for a retaliatory kick at a Crystal Palace defender who had pulled his shirt. As he walked along the sideline, Cantona suddenly jumped feet-first over the advertising boards to attack Palace fan Matthew Simmons. The pair traded punches before Cantona was hauled away and escorted toward the tunnel by teammate Peter Schmeichel.

 

ENGLAND-SOCCER FAN
Crystal Palace soccer fan Matthew Simmons departs Croydon magistrates court, England, 24 March, after being bailed to reappear before the court in May. Simmons pleaded not guilty to two charges linked to the disturbance involving French soccer star Eric Cantona during a match at the Crystal Palace ground in January. (COLOR KEY: Simmons wears tie wirg red and blue drawings). AFP PHOTO / AFP PHOTO / Andrew Winning (Photo credit should read ANDREW WINNING/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Penalty: Cantona was arrested by police and convicted of assault, although he successfully appealed a two-week jail sentence and instead completed 120 hours of community service. United suspended Cantona for the rest of the season and the Football Association extended the ban to eight months, a punishment that was made worldwide by FIFA. Cantona also lost the captaincy of the France national team over the incident and never played for his country again. The player later said he was wrong to attack Simmons but acknowledged that it had given him "a great feeling."

MIKE TYSON

June 28, 1997: Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in the third round of their heavyweight rematch. The attack led to his disqualification from the match and suspension from boxing, and was the strangest chapter yet in the champion's roller-coaster career.

 

Referee Lane Mills (L) steps in as Evander Holyfie
LAS VEGAS, UNITED STATES: Referee Lane Mills (L) steps in as Evander Holyfield (R) reacts after Mike Tyson bit his ear in the third round of their WBA heavyweight championship fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV 28 June. Holyfield won by disqualification after the biting incident. AFP PHOTO/JEFF HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Penalty: Tyson was suspended permanently and fined $3 million. He appealed his suspension and was reinstated one year later.

JEFF VAN GUNDY

April 30, 1998: Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, trying to play peacemaker during a brawl, grabbed Heat center Alonzo Mourning by the legs and was tossed around like a rag doll until the fight ended.

 

New York Knicks' forward Larry Johnson (R) is held
MIAMI, : New York Knicks' forward Larry Johnson (R) is held back by referee Michael Smith (C) as Knicks' Head Coach Jeff VanGundy (L) argues after Johnson had a small altercation with Miami Heat's forward Anthony Mason, resulting in technical fouls for both players, during overtime action of their game 04 February 2001, at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. The Knicks won 103-100. AFP PHOTO/RHONA WISE (Photo credit should read RHONA WISE/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Penalty: Larry Johnson and Chris Mills of New York and Mourning were suspended one game. Mourning was fined $20,000, Johnson was fined $10,000 and Mills $2,500.

MARTY MCSORLEY

Feb. 21, 2000: Bruins enforcer Marty McSorley hit Vancouver's Donald Brashear in the head with his stick. McSorley swung his stick using both hands and hit Brashear in the head. Brashear fell backward and hit his head on the ice, was unconscious for a brief time, and had a concussion and memory lapses. He returned to play several weeks later.

 

Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers
PHILADELPHIA - APRIL 11: Donald Brashear #87 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Eric Cairns #33 of the Pittsburgh Penguins are separated after a fight at the Wachovia Center April 11, 2006 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers defeated the Penguins 4-3. (Photo by Len Redkoles/Getty Images)

 

Penalty: McSorley was suspended indefinitely by the NHL, missing the final 23 games of the season. On Oct. 4, 2000, a Canadian court found him guilty of assault and placed him on probation with no jail time. After the conviction, the suspension was extended to a full year, and McSorley never played in another NHL game.

ROY KEANE

April 21, 2001: Roy Keane, one of soccer's most colorful characters, was punished for a foul and then punished again. Keane launched a two-footed, knee-high challenge on Alfie Inge Haaland.

 

Roy Keane
19 Apr 2000: Roy Keane of Manchester United waits for the ground to open up after scoring an own-goal during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. Real Madrid won the match 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill /Allsport

 

Penalty: Initially, Keane was banned for three matches. But the English Football Association charged Keane with bringing the game into disrepute in September 2002 when Keane later admitted to deliberately setting out to injure Haaland. "I'd waited almost 180 minutes for Alfie, three years if you looked at it another way," Keane said in his ghostwritten book. "I'd waited long enough. I hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that." Under a ruling that the vicious tackle was "improperly motivated," in October 2002 Keane was banned for a further five games and fined a record 150,000 pounds (then $234,000).

TODD BERTUZZI

March 2, 2004: Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi sucker-punched the Colorado Avalanche's Steve Moore, knocking him to the ice and breaking his neck during a game.

 

Wild v Canucks
VANCOUVER - MARCH 10: Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks talks to the media prior to start of the the Canuck's NHL game against the Minnesota Wild at General Motors Place on March 10, 2004 in Vancouver, Canada. Bertuzzi faced an NHL disciplinary hearing today in Toronto for his hit on Colorado Avalanche's Steve Moore March 8 in Vancouver. Moore suffered a broken neck, facial cuts and a concussion from the incident that could leave Bertuzzi suspended for the remainder of the 2003-04 season. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)

 

Penalty: Bertuzzi was suspended indefinitely four days after the incident, and missed 20 NHL games during his 17-month suspension, the final 13 regular-season games in the 2003-04 season and the Canucks' first-round playoff loss. He wasn't allowed to play anywhere during the NHL lockout the following season.

RON ARTEST

Nov. 19, 2004: Pacers-Pistons fight spilled into the stands. The most infamous brawl in NBA history started when Indiana's Ron Artest (now Metta World Peace) fouled Detroit's Ben Wallace late in the game. Wallace shoved back, other players got involved and Artest wound up lying on the scorer's table. He put on a pair of headphones at one point, while others on the court continued a battle of mostly words for over a minute. Then a fan threw a drink on Artest, prompting him and teammate Stephen Jackson to head into the stands. "Someone started trouble," Artest said years later, "but I ended it."

 

Pistons v Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 22: Ron Artest #23 of the Indiana Pacers goes to the basket past Ben Wallace #3 and Rasheed Wallace #30 of the Detroit Pistons in Game one of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2004 NBA Playoffs at Conseco Fieldhouse on May 22, 2004 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

 

Penalty: Nine players were suspended for 140 games. Artest got 73 games and Jackson received 30 games.

ZINEDINE ZIDANE

July 9, 2006: Zinedine Zidane, seemingly without provocation, turned toward Italy defender Marco Materazzi and gave him a head-butt to the chest.

 

FBL-WC2006-FRA-ITA-ZIDANE-MATERAZZI
A photo taken 09 July 2006 shows French midfielder Zinedine Zidane (L) gesturing after head-butting Italian defender Marco Materazzi during the World Cup 2006 final football match between Italy and France at Berlins Olympic Stadium. AFP PHOTO JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP / JOHN MACDOUGALL (Photo credit should read JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Penalty: FIFA banned Zidane for three matches but he had already retired. Zidane instead agreed to spend three days working with children as part of a FIFA humanitarian project. Zidane said he knocked Materazzi to the ground because he had insulted his sister. Materazzi later confirmed Zidane's version of events.

ALBERT HAYNESWORTH

Oct. 1, 2006: Albert Haynesworth of the Tennessee Titans stomped on Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode's head, knocking off his helmet, then kicked and stomped his face. Gurode needed 30 stitches to repair the cuts left by the tackle's cleats.

 

Albert Haynesworth watches practice
JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 22: Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth #91 of the Tennessee Titans watches practice for the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Alltel Stadium on December 22, 2002 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Titans defeated the Jaguars 26-10. (Photo By Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

 

Penalty: Haynesworth was suspended for five games without pay.

NIGEL DE JONG

July 11, 2010: Nigel de Jong kicked Xabi Alonso in the chest in the 2010 World Cup final.

 

Netherlands' midfielder Nigel de Jong (L
Netherlands' midfielder Nigel de Jong (L) fouls Spain's midfielder Xabi Alonso during the ball during the 2010 World Cup football final at Soccer City stadium in Soweto, suburban Johannesburg on July 11, 2010. NO PUSH TO MOBILE / MOBILE USE SOLELY WITHIN EDITORIAL ARTICLE - AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Penalty: English referee Howard Webb handed out only a yellow card to De Jong.

 

© 2019 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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