"The Bronx Is Burning"

Like many of you, I have been very much enjoying ESPN's mini-series, "The Bronx Is Burning". Last night's episode involved a famous locker room incident that for those of us of a certain age instantly recalls where we were when we first heard of it, much like the news of the Kennedy assassination for a previous generation.

Yankee manager, Billy Martin, and team captain, Thurman Munson, had been out on a two day bender, and came staggering into the locker room an hour before a home game against the Orioles. In their inebriated condition, they hatched a scheme to play a practical joke on the target of their ire, Reggie Jackson. Billy and Thurm each defecated in one of Reggie's Dingo boots.

Following the game, Reggie got himself an ankle deep surprise when he pulled on his Dingo boot. Infuriated, and immediately sure of the perpatrator, he made a beeline for the showers, walking in an awkward peg-leg fashion with the one Dingo boot still on. He tackled the showering Munson, and the two engaged in a legendary brawl which is now part of Yankee lore.

I thought it an interesting artistic decision by ESPN and the director of the mini-series to elect to go with full frontal male nudity. Such a decision was probably unavoidable with the actor playing Munson, given the circumstances. However, I am less certain that it was necessary with Munson's showering teammates, the actors playing Willie Randolph, Mickey Rivers, Roy White, Chris Chambliss and Big Elston Howard.