2007 file photo / Union-Tribune George Brett had a Hall of Fame career with the Kansas City Royals that included more than 3,000 hits, batting titles in three decades, an MVP award and a World Series championship.

George Brett had a Hall of Fame career with the Kansas City Royals that included more than 3,000 hits, batting titles in three decades, an MVP award and a World Series championship.

Still, for most baseball fans, two words quickly come to mind when they hear Brett's name: pine tar.

Today is the 25th anniversary of Brett's famous meltdown at Yankee Stadium, an arm-flailing, eye-bulging tirade that came after he hit a homer, then was called out for having pine tar too far up the handle of his bat.

“I am so surprised that you play 20 years in the major leagues and you accomplish some things, and that's the one at-bat you're remembered for,” Brett said yesterday during a conference call with reporters.

“Only in New York. I think if it happens in Cleveland, it's not that big a deal.”

With the Royals trailing 4-3, Brett hit the two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning off closer Goose Gossage, who on Sunday will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Brett entered the Cooperstown, N.Y., shrine in 1999.

After Brett's homer, Yankees manager Billy Martin immediately protested. Plate umpire Tim McClelland agreed, nullified the home run and called Brett out.

A red-faced Brett charged after McClelland. Teammates and coaches had to hold Brett back.

“We've had a lot of fun with this thing over the years,” said Gossage, also on the conference call. “Of course, at the time it wasn't fun. . . . George was the maddest human being I've ever seen.”

McClelland said yesterday he “wasn't thinking anything” when Brett charged out of the dugout.

“I knew he wasn't going to hit me or run over me,” McClelland said. “If he did I'd probably own the Kansas City Royals now.”

TRIVIA TIME

Who ended up winning the game after the pine-tar incident?

HONEY, YOU'RE DEFAULTED

An 8-year-old girl was ejected from a junior tennis tournament on New Zealand's South Island when officials discovered she was wearing a radio earpiece to receive instructions from her father.

Tournament referee Rob Wilkinson said officials became suspicious because the match involving Ukranian-born Anastasiya Korzh featured a “heightened number of questioned calls.”

Officials found the earpiece hidden under the girl's headband, linked by a cord to a receiver under her shirt, The Press newspaper reported.

Korzh's father said the earpiece was only being used to help the girl keep score in her first under-10 tournament.

TRIVIA ANSWER

The Royals protested the call and it was later overturned. The final K.C. out and the Yankees' half of the ninth were completed on Aug. 18, with the Royals winning 5-4, Brett's reinstated home run providing the winning margin.

COMPILED BY STEVE OAKEY FROM NEWS SERVICES