Written by Greg Popelka

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Tribe Game Vault: 7/15/94. The Great Albert Belle Bat Caper
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It could not have been more obvious that Belle’s bat had been stolen. Not only was the bat a Sorrento model, but there was the matter of twisted ceiling brackets and tile debris on the floor in the umpire’s room. The White Sox were furious. They threatened to call the FBI (it is not clear if this threat was received by the Indians’ organization with a straight face).

Nobody at the time claimed to know who the culprit was. The Chicago Tribune reported that some non-uniformed members of the Indians organization were prime suspects. Authorities were also said to be looking at “an identified and fervent Cleveland fan who made the trip here from Shaker Heights, Ohio”.

At least twice- on a radio interview and in Baseball Digest, Belle insisted that the White Sox had actually broken into the Indians’ clubhouse before the game, and substituted a corked bat for the one he was using. I’m pretty sure it was without cracking a smile, since it's Albert Belle we're talking about, here.

(I should qualify that last statement. Wasn’t it a treat, back in spring training before this 2012 season, to see Albert relaxed and loose with some of his ex-teammates with the Tribe?)

Belle served a suspension for the corked bat incident in 1994. And he returned with a vengeance. He went on a patented hot streak over the remaining games played in that strike-shortened season.

Five full years later, Grimsley confessed publicly to the break-in and the theft of Belle’s bat. He said it was the hardest he'd ever felt his heart pumping. He also said Belle rewarded him with a free round of golf. It never did come out as to who tipped off Lamont in the first place.

(Belle cheated. Grimsley executed the break-in, and stole the bat to cover up the cheating. Their teammates were supportive of both players. So how serious were these indiscretions? My take is there are grave breaches of the rules, and there is gamesmanship. Baseball history is filled to the brim with gamesmanship: there’s the Tribe’s Gaylord Perry winning a Cy Young award with the help of illegal pitches. There’s Bob Feller and some teammates using his military binoculars to steal signs from the outfield stands. There’s owner Bill Veeck moving the outfield fences in and out during the same game depending on whether his team was at bat or in the field. To me, Albert Belle corking his bat smacks of gamesmanship. And of course, I think I am absolutely unbiased.)

Thank you for reading. Sources include the SI Vault, and Buster Olney’s 1999 New York Times story in which the now-Yankee Grimsley finally owned up to the heist. Also, baseball-reference.com.

Oh, and I am sooo tired of how every scandal is referred to these days- but for the benefit of internet search engines: BATGATE. Bat Gate. Bat. Gate.