Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about baseball and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the baseball urban legends featured so far.

BASEBALL URBAN LEGEND: An ejected manager sneaked back into the dugout during the game using a fake mustache and glasses.

Bobby Valentine took over as the manager of the New York Mets in 1996. He would remain the manager until 2002, leading the Mets to two playoff berths in 1999 and 2000, and a National League pennant in 2000 (they would lose to their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees), with an overall record of 536-467 (and only one full season under .500 – his last).

On June 9, 1999, Valentine was ejected from a game in the 12th inning for arguing with the umpires on a catcher’s interference call. What happened next was one of the odder sights in baseball history!

Valentine went to the clubhouse and proceeded to put on sunglasses, a different cap and drew a mustache on his face with grease paint. He then sat down in the dugout (or at least it certainly appeared to be the dugout) then watched the rest of the game.

Nothing happened that night, but TV cameras caught Valentine in the act, and two days later, the National League suspended Valentine for two games and fined him $5,000.

The rule he violated was:

5.1, which says: “When a manager, player, coach or trainer is put out of a game by an umpire, he shall leave the field immediately” and if ejected you “shall remain in the clubhouse until the game is ended or change to street clothes and either leave the park or take a seat in the grandstand well removed from the vicinity of his club’s bullpen.”

Valentine clearly did not do that.

Ah well, he at least gave everyone a chuckle!

I don’t know if that’s worth $5,000, though…

The legend is…

STATUS: True

Feel free (heck, I implore you!) to write in with your suggestions for future urban legends columns! My e-mail address is bcronin@legendsrevealed.com