Uncle Nick Page #7

when all hell broke loose.

- At which

point fans ran onto the field

and grabbed for the Texas Ranger

right outfielder Jeff Burroughs,

and then the full-scale

riot was on.

- From the Ranger dugout,

it looked as if one of their

own had been attacked.

Manager Billy Martin

ted the charge.

The Rangers ran out of their

dugout armed with bats

and whatever weapons

they could find.

The drunken crowd

stormed the field

with weapons of their own.

Within seconds, the Rangers

were heavily outnumbered

and outgunned.

Indians manager Ken Aspromonte

ordered his team onto the field,

not to attack the Rangers,

but their own fans.

Indians pitcher Tom Hilgendorf

was hit in the head

with a steel folding chair.

Ranger Mark Hargrove

was attacked from behind.

In turn, this future Indian

gave his attacker

a beating that he'd

never forget.

It was pure chaos.

- Both

Ranger manager Billy Martin

and Indian manager

Ken Aspromonte

were shaken by the incident.

In all their years in baseball

they had never encountered

such a frightening experience.

When a large hunting knife

landed at umpire

Nestor Chylak's feet,

a forfeit.

The Rangers were

declared the winners

but that was merely a formality.

It was time to make

a break for it.

Together the Indians and the

Rangers ran from the field.

They headed for

the stadium's tunnels,

away from the rioters

before someone would get killed.

Bases were stolen;

seats were trashed,

ripped from the concrete.

It took twenty minutes

for the Cleveland police

department's riot squad

to show up on the scene.

But there was some good

to come out of that violent,

alcohol-soaked evening.

Paul Wilkins,

seated in the upper deck,

finally had the nerve to do

what he couldn't for weeks:

he kissed Tammy Budnick

long and good.

The young couple

was lost in the moment,

oblivious to the fact

that the world

was collapsing around them.

Six and a half months later,

they were married

in Lakewood, Ohio.

Three months after that,

I was born.

That was the beginning

of the Wilkins family.

It hasn't been the

same since Dad died

but we'll figure it out.

- You want a cup of coffee?

- Yeah. Thanks.

- There.

Be careful, it's hot.

- Jesus...

all I taste is blood.

- Here.

I can put some Bailey's in that.

- Naw, no, I'm good.

I think I should quit that.

- You should see a dentist.

- Yeah, I'll go tomorrow.

- Tomorrow?

You...

Right.

- Where's Cody?

- He's at a hotel.

- The kids?

- Um, they're at their father's.

I'm sorry I ruined

your Christmas.

- You didn't.

I was with Mark,

my first husband,

for twenty-one years.

And one day I woke up

and that young,

handsome man I married

wasn't in bed next to me.

I was sleeping with

an old, bald man

and it freaked me out.

So I decided to

do something about it.

And I didn't think about

anybody but myself.

- I want you to know

I'm not the good guy here.

I mean...

I'm a gross, disgusting man.

- No.

- Look at me.

I'm no better than my brother.

- You are.

Alright.

I don't care, it's just us here.

Merry Christmas.

- Cleveland's had plenty of lows

since Ten Cent Beer Night.

The Drive.

The Fumble.

The Shot.

But we've come to accept it.

It's who we are.

And with that, the Wilkins

family Christmas tale

comes to an end.

- Thanks, Nick.

This has been Beat of the Drum.

- Oh, let me get that, boss.

I got it.

- Thanks, Luis.

Welcome back, buddy.

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