On August 3rd, 1987, Twins pitcher Joe Niekro was caught with a file on the mound and was ejected during Minnesota’s 11-3 win over the Angels. He ended up being suspended for ten games by American League president Bobby Brown, who doesn’t buy Niekro’s story that he had been filing his nails on the bench and stuck the file in his back pocket when the inning started.

Joe Niekro, brother of Hall of Fame Phil Niekro, had a pretty good career of his own. He pitched in the Majors for 22 years finishing with a lifetime record of 221 wins, 204 loses, and 16 saves.

Niekro only played in Minnesota for two seasons, 1987 and 1988. They were his final two seasons in the Majors. They were not particularly good years for Joe as a pitcher. But the Twins team he was on in 1987 would go on to win the World Series.

As I have said here before, I moved to the Twin Cities and began following the Minnesota Twins regularly in 1986. The 1987 Twins were a fun team to follow: Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunanski, Frank Viola,

Niekro being caught cheating during the August 3rd game against the Angels is one of many memorable moments from that wonderful season. Certainly the most humorous.

Here is a famous clip of Niekro going on Letterman a few days after being ejected to “plead his case.”

Enjoy!