Phil is best known today for the infamous "Harmonica Incident," on August 20, 1964. On the team bus, after losing the game to the White Sox, Linz was on the bus playing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on his harmonica. Manager Yogi Berra thought he was mocking the team. He told Linz to quit. Linz didn't hear and kept playing. Berra got madder and madder and yelled , "If you don't knock that off, I'm going to come back there and kick your ass." Linz didn't hear so he asked Mantle, "What he say?" Mantle responded, "He said to play it louder." This led to the now famous confrontation when Berra stormed back, slapped the harmonica out of his hands, and it hit Joe Pepitone in the knee.
This famous fight led to the release of Berra as manager at the end of the season.
Player: Phil Linz
Block/Script Name: script
Label Period: 1965-68
Year/s Used: same
Teams Played During Era of Bat: Yankees, Mets Phillies
Other Teams Played:
Majors:
Minors:
Mfg: H&B
Model Number: K55
Length: 34 3/4
Weight: 32.5
Side Writing: none
Vault Marks: none
Game Use: heavy
Ball Marks: deeply embedded lace marks
Swelling: yes
Grain Separation: no
Cleat Marks: yes
Rack Marks: yes
Nails/Screws: no
Cracked: no
Pine Tar: heavy
Handle Tape: no
Handle Crack: no
Barrel Crack: no
Dents/Gouges: no
Autographed: yes, black
Uniform Number: no
Knob Markings: model
Barrel Markings: none
Finish: ash
Provenance: no
Factory Records:
Player Traits: unknown
Grade: A8 with 5 base points and 3 use points
MEARS Bat Index: Only recorded example
Comments: rare bat
(MEARS LOA; MEARS Auction LOA)