Craziest Moments in Sports Rivalries

Rivalries in sports have given us fans so many memories; it's hard to go through a calendar year and remember them all, as wild finishes, epic fights and ridiculous plays often get lost deep in our minds.

I tried my best to pull them out, though. Let's take a stroll down memory lane and look at some of the craziest moments we've ever seen in some of sports' biggest rivalries.

Juan Marichal "Batters" Johnny Roseboro (Giants-Dodgers, 1965)

Occurring all the way back in the 1965 MLB season, the moment that Juan Marichal hit Johnny Roseboro on the head with his baseball bat will forever live on in baseball lore—and it's because it is certifiably nuts.

After Marichal brushed back several Los Angeles Dodgers hitters with the hope of rattling them, the San Francisco Giants pitcher saw what revenge was like during one of his plate appearances, with Dodgers catcher John Roseboro throwing the ball back to the mound by whistling it past Marichal's ear.

Upset at what happened during his at-bat, Marichal turned around and clocked Roseboro on the head with his bat, resulting in a gash that required 14 stitches, cleared both benches and is one of the reasons why the Giants-Dodgers rivalry is so heated.

Speedo Guy (North Carolina-Duke, 2003)

The North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils have one of the most bitter rivalries in all of sports, so it's only natural that both fanbases got involved in the action when they could—and "Speedo Guy" went full throttle in his participation.

During the 2003 contest between the men's hoops teams, a Duke student/fan by the name of Patrick King wanted to distract UNC free-throw shooter Jackie Manuel so badly that he stripped down to nothing but a Speedo and bloomed upward like a flower.

The best part is that it actually worked, making Manuel miss both shots and adding a hilarious—and crazy—moment in the longtime rivalry that can almost never be duplicated.

Roger Clemens Throws a Shattered Bat at Mike Piazza (Mets-Yankees, 2000)

Not only did the 2000 World Series feature the two New York teams—the New York Yankees and New York Mets—but it had a strange rivalry that saw one of the most bizarre at-bats in the history of the Fall Classic.

The Roger Clemens-Mike Piazza rivalry all started during an interleague game earlier in the regular season, with the Rocket nailing the catcher in the helmet with some high heat, causing Piazza to miss some time with a concussion due to the blow.

But things got straight whacky when, during their World Series showdown, Piazza shattered his bat while facing Clemens—the broken bat barrel skipped towards the pitcher. The Yanks hurler proceeded to pick it up and chuck it at the feet of his opponent, causing quite the bizarre scene.

Clemens claims—and still does, according to Newsday staff writer Lawrence Rocca—that he really thought it was the baseball, which only extended the rivalry even more.

The Warriors Come All the Way Back (Warriors-Clippers, 2015)

To be absolutely blunt, there isn't a better rivalry in the NBA right now than the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, with the two teams clearly having bad blood and proving that they both have what it takes to compete with one another.

The game they played earlier this season when the Dubs came back from a late double-digit lead to crush the Clips and remain, at the time, a perfect 13-0 to start the year is something that all hoops fans remember.

What makes this finish even more incredible is that, with Golden State just setting the mark for most victories in a single season with 73, had they not come back against their rivals, they would have only tied the all-time mark.

Golden State overcame a 16-point deficit after one quarter—23 early in the second—and were trailing by 10 points with five minutes left in regulation. They then finished on a 22-5 run to shock L.A.—adding fuel to the fire of a potential second-round playoff matchup this season, which we should all be hoping that it happens.

Harvey Updyke Poisons Toomer's Corner (Alabama-Auburn, 2012)

It's one of the most tense rivalries in all of sports, so it's no wonder that fans can get too caught up in the Iron Bowl each year between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers.

Unfortunately, a Bama fan named Harvey Updyke fell into that trap following the 2010 version of the game, though.

While the matchup is supposed to be settled on the gridiron, the then-62-year-old Updyke made things personal when he decided to put a "lethal dose" of poison to the famed Toomer's Corner oak trees on Auburn's campus following Alabama's loss.

The trees were restored with new ones last fall, according to Edward Aschoff of ESPN.com, and for his crime, Updyke was arrested and served jail time, proving that, sometimes, fanaticism can go way too far in a rivalry.

Patrick Roy Tussles with Mike Vernon (Red Wings-Avalanche, 1997)

The rivalry between the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings late in the '90s and early-2000s was always testy, and while that was proved each time the two teams squared off, the brutal fight between goaltenders Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon was the defining moment.

After a brawl broke out between a number of players in this 1997 regular-seaosn contest, both net-minders came to the defense of their teammates, meeting at center ice and getting into it themselves, with both dropping their masks, gloves and blockers.

Both goalies got minor penalties, but both players ended up beaten and blooded. This rare goaltender fight became known as one of the nastiest in NHL history, according to 105.1s Detroit Sports radio.

Pedro Martinez Tossed Don Zimmer to the Turf (Red Sox-Yankees, 2003)

Sure, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have always been the most bitter of rivals thanks to tremendous history and that whole Babe Ruth trade, but things really go reignited during Game 3 of the 2003 ALCS between the two teams.

That's when it was clear that "little brother" Boston would not be backing down from the intimidation of the Yanks, standing up to them and literally trying to beat them down.

No more was that evident than the moment Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez tossed then 72-year-old Don Zimmer to the ground as if he were a rag doll, shocking everyone who saw the takedown and proving that the Red Sox weren't scared.

The toss down came after a couple of high heaters from both sides' pitchers, which resulted in both benches clearing.

And the fact that the two teams played in two of the most remarkable ALCS series' in history—with 2003 ending with a pinch-hit Aaron Boone homer and 2004 finishing with a series comeback for the ages by the Red Sox—only makes this moment more appropriate.

The Stanford Band Takes the Field (Cal-Stanford, 1982)

In the 34 years since "The Play" occurred to end the annual rivalry between the Cal Bears and Stanford Cardinal, sports fans have seen a number of jaw-dropping endings that are still almost impossible to believe.

Still, this eight-lateral play remains in college football lore.

That's because it's tough to match the insanity of this kick return that included the game-winning score, a bunch of questionable laterals and a play-by-play radio call that only adds to the drama.

Anytime there's major controversy in a sporting event, that usually means it's something that will stick in people's brains for a while—and this is why "The Play" will never be forgotten about.

Oh, and that poor Stanford band member probably still has the bruises from being trucked.

Mike Tyson Takes a Bite out of Evander Holyfield's Ear (Tyson-Holyfield, 1997)

We all knew that former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson had earned the nickname "Baddest Man on the Planet" for a reason, but did we ever believe that he would do something like he did during a title bout with rival Evander Holyfield? Probably not.

Yet, there was Iron Mike shocking us all during the match with Holyfield in 1997, absolutely losing his cool while in the ring.

Fighting in the second installment together, Tyson straight-up gnawed on not one, but both of Holyfield's ears, which instantly became known as the "Bite Heard 'Round the World"—and resulted in Tyson getting hit with a $3 million fine and the loss of his boxing license.

Now, was that really worth it, Mike?

Chris Davis' Missed Field Goal Return TD (Auburn-Alabama, 2014)

There isn't anything that could have been said or done that could've prepared sports fans for what they were about to witness during the Iron Bowl game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers in 2014.

Seriously, I'm still having a hard time believing my own eyes on this one.

With Bama lining up to kick a game-winning field goal, the kick came up short and fell into the hands of Auburn's Chris Davis, who weaved around and tip-toed the sideline on his way to the end zone for a 109-yard, game-winning touchdown.

The Iron Bowl has had, and will have, some incredible games, but nothing will ever top this version of the annual clash in one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports.