Garvey Is Ejected in 4-2 Defeat : Home Plate Call Disputed in Game Against Atlanta

Steve Garvey, baseball’s Mr. Congeniality, had never suffered the indignity of being kicked out of a game.

Until Thursday night, that is.

Garvey, a 16-year veteran, was ejected after the third inning of the Padres’ 4-2 loss to Atlanta.

He was arguing about the conclusion of an Atlanta triple play on a call at home. Bip Roberts had slid around catcher Ozzie Virgil and apparently touched home, but home plate umpire Charlie Williams called him out.

Garvey, the on-deck batter, went out to dispute the call. Manager Steve Boros also went out.

“I didn’t say anything,” Garvey said. “I just showed him (Williams) where the hand had crossed the plate. I said, in general, ‘We’ve got to bear down.’ It’s unbelievable. I’ve played baseball for 30 years, 16 in the majors. I’ve never come close to getting tossed, and I’ve never sworn at an umpire.”

Boros said he was shocked when Williams told him that Garvey had been thrown out of the game for saying “bear down.” But Williams said there was more to it than that.

“He (Garvey) just showed me up at home plate,” Williams said. “He was drawing pictures and stuff like that on the ground. He has no business doing that. There were all of his little signs and gestures. He was taking over an argument that belonged to the manager.”

Boros thought Williams might be holding a grudge from 10 days previous against Garvey.

“You have to remember Williams was the home plate umpire at Montreal when Garvey hit the catcher’s mask and asked for time,” Boros said. “Williams didn’t give it to him.”

The play in question Thursday occurred with Roberts on third and Tony Gwynn on first in the third inning.

Kevin McReynolds hit a grounder to pitcher Zane Smith, who forced Gwynn at second before McReynolds was out at first.

Roberts, who didn’t take off until after Smith’s throw to second, got a late break to the plate. When Roberts approached home, the plate was being blocked by Virgil.

The only thing Roberts could do was go around Virgil. He was able to avoid Virgil and touch the plate with his hand (at least according to television replays). But Williams didn’t make a call, so Roberts knew he would have to touch the plate again. Virgil had the ball by then and tagged Roberts out.

Virgil said he was unaware of what then transpired.

“It was the third out, and I got out of there,” he said. “I didn’t hang around for any fireworks.”

Boros then talked with Williams--and Garvey drew some pictures. In fact, when Williams threw Garvey out, Garvey assumed it was Boros who had been ejected. Garvey was warming up at first before the top of the fourth when he was informed that he--and not Boros--had been kicked out.

After Garvey was ejected, Williams couldn’t make a correct move in the eyes of the 12,863 fans. He was booed continually in the top of the fourth and periodically thereafter.

Harry Wendelstedt, the umpiring crew chief, became incensed when Williams was asked if the fans bothered him.

“(Bleep) the fans,” Wendelstedt said. “When you’re in this business, it’s cops against robbers. You’re out to enforce the laws of baseball.”

On several occasions, fans even began chanting, “Gar-vey, Gar-vey, Gar-vey.”

But their chant did no good, no good, no good.

On the field, the Padres continued a streak that has seen them do very little good. They have lost eight of their last 11 games, falling two games behind the third-place Braves.

The second inning revealed that it was going to be a strange night, indeed.

Martinez, one of the slowest Padres, was thrown out stealing by 10 feet. But Bruce Bochy, who is arguably slower than Martinez, stole the first base of his career.

In the bottom of the third, the Padres had a budding rally. Roberts, playing his first game since coming off the disabled list, singled for his second hit of the night. Gwynn singled Roberts to third on a hit-and-run.

The Padres should have been in position to score a run. Instead, runners were positioned perfectly for Garvey to receive his first ejection in 2,202 major-league games.

“He should get thrown out once in his career,” Braves Manager Chuck Tanner said. “He’s a great player and a great man. So now he has done everything. This was the first thing he hadn’t accomplished.” Padre Notes

The Padres’ string of 17 straight stolen bases ended when Carmelo Martinez was thrown out in the second inning Thursday. Bruce Bochy recorded his first career stolen base in the same inning. . . . Half of the starting infield returned Thursday when second baseman Bip Roberts (ligament strain in groin area) and shortstop Garry Templeton (sciatic nerve) played. Third baseman Graig Nettles remained sidelined with a hamstring injury. “Graig is bouncing around pretty well,” Manager Steve Boros said. “He wouldn’t have been in the lineup, anyway, because they were pitching a left-hander. There’s a good chance he will play (tonight).” . . . Pitcher LaMarr Hoyt returned to the team Thursday. Hoyt had been given permission to return home to South Carolina after he pitched Monday night in New York. He will pitch Saturday against Atlanta. . . . Terry Harper of Atlanta had to leave the game in the third after fouling a ball off his right foot. Harper suffered broken blood vessels and swelling. . . . Brave catcher Ozzie Virgil Jr. was making his first appearance in San Diego since his father, Ozzie Sr., left the Padres. Virgil Sr. was fired by the Padres in November, was rehired in December and resigned along with Manager Dick Williams the first day of spring training. “I was pretty upset about the way he was handled,” Virgil Jr. said. “After the season, all of their coaches were told they would be rehired. Then they fired my dad in November and didn’t release it to the press until December. How was anybody supposed to know he was available?” When the word got out, Virgil Sr. was hired by the Giants. However, he returned to the Padres shortly thereafter when it was announced that Williams would return. Virgil Sr. now coaches under Williams in Seattle. “I don’t think my dad is rooting for the Padres now,” Virgil Jr. said.