Sports

Florida Gators’ shoe-tosser joins long list of coaches and players who threw things in games

December 14, 2020
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At least Florida Gators corner Marco Wilson has some company.

The Gators cornerback made a big tackle on LSU Tigers tight end Kole Taylor that would have had the Tigers facing a long fourth down late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game in Gainesville, Florida. To celebrate, Wilson threw Taylor’s shoe and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. It kept LSU’s drive going and the Tigers kicked a field goal that would be the difference in the 37-34 game.

To borrow from Austin Powers, “Who throws a shoe? Honestly.”

The wayward footwear and the loss cost the Gators a chance at the College Football Playoff. However, it’s not even close to being the first item thrown in celebration or anger at a sporting event. Wilson isn’t even the most famous Gator known for throwing an article of apparel. Former Florida coach Steve Spurrier has at least two Twitter handles dedicated to his visors, which he was famous for throwing when something didn’t go his way.

Others throwing shoes

AP Photo/David Kohl

The sweetest of Lous

In 1990, then-Cincinnati Reds manager Lou Piniella set the standard for managers throwing things when he pulled first base out of the ground, after arguing with an umpire, then hurled the base into right field. As manager of the Seattle Mariners, he threw his hat and a base.

Then with the Chicago Cubs, he got mad at a third-base umpire and proceeded to throw and then kick his cap.

Surely inspired by Piniella, in 2001, then-Pittsburgh Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon got angry about two close outs at first base. He argued and got ejected, but instead of throwing the base on the field, he took it with him to the dugout.

In 1993, Hal McRae, the then-manager of the Kansas City Royals, was not happy about his team falling to 7-12 after a loss to the Detroit Tigers. The postgame news conference was in McRae’s office and a reporter asked a question the manager didn’t like. McRae threw a tantrum and started throwing everything off his desk, hitting a reporter in the face with his phone and drawing blood.

Throwing anything but baseballs

If you thought only managers got angry and threw things, you’d be mistaken. Greats like Roger Clemens and Torii Hunter have gotten in on the fun.

Take a seat

In 1985, Indiana Hoosiers coach Bobby Knight famously got irate at officials and tossed a red chair across the court. But he’s not the only sports figure to toss some kind of seat (and pro wrestling doesn’t count).

It’s almost more impressive to move multiple people off a long, wooden bench in order to throw it on the ice.

Lane Kiffin knows what’s coming

Watch for the clipboard to soar.

Chiefs behaving badly

The greatest manager meltdown

It’s one thing to throw a shoe. It’s another to attain immortality.

In 2007, Phil Wellman, then the manager of the minor league Mississippi Braves, was enraged with the umpires for throwing his pitcher out of the game for using a foreign substance. Wellman went out to protest the call and covered home plate with dirt. He took third base out of the ground and threw it across the field before crawling toward the pitcher’s mound. He threw a rosin bag at an umpire like it was a hand grenade and pretended to eject the umpires. He eventually walked off toward the outfield with two bases in tow.

ESPN Stats & Information research contributed to this story.


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