Maldonado Incident Recalls Hrbek’s Savory World Series Bat

Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado was barred from using a maple bat in Game 1 of the 2022 World Series. The bat, given to him by Albert Pujols, was deemed illegal due to the threat of splintering and potential injury. While odd, it’s not the first time the Fall Classic has seen this kind of controversy.

“The bats didn’t get from Minneapolis to St. Louis in time, so I had to improvise,” said former Twins great Kent Hrbek about his first at-bat in Game 3 of the 1987 World Series. The Bloomington native used a 41-inch tube of salami in his first plate appearance, lining out to shortstop before the umpires made him use a traditional wooden bat the rest of the game.

NOTE: Video of the at-bat has been removed from all MLB servers, so please watch this Metrodome food service training video instead:

“We were up 2-0 in the Series and we didn’t want to change our routine, you know how superstitious ballplayers are,” said Hrbek. “I wasn’t going to use (Gary) Gaetti’s bat and break it, he was on fire all post season. So I just used my walking around meat. The boys in blue weren’t amused.”

Hrbek, known for his voracious appetite, often carried a variety of cured meats and venison jerky on his person at the time.

Legendary baseball writer Peter Gammons asked Hrbek about the at-bat after the game. Hrbek excused himself, showered, returned to his locker with a towel around his waist, and proceeded to eat the formidable sausage/emergency bat in front of Gammons without ever breaking eye contact.

“Damnedest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Gammons. “He didn’t even blink. Just bite, chew, swallow, repeat. Felt like eternity, but it probably only took him 2-3 minutes. I think he unhinged his jaw.”

The Twins would go on to defeat the Cardinals in seven games for their first World Series title.

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