NEWSLETTER
On this day 21 years ago, we all learned that a pitcher can have a side hustle as a linebacker.
Reds pitcher Paul Wilson – not a linebacker – took umbrage at a Kyle Farnsworth fastball that sailed inside. He started jawing, which was fine, but he took just one fateful step too many that set him up to forever be remembered only as the dude who got PLANTED.
Wilson, a former first overall draft pick, went on to have a so-so year in 2003, a serviceable year in 2004, and then he was toast in 2005. Hence this moment likely being the most memorable part of his career, which, admittedly, is a bummer. It’s great that we baseball fans have it to celebrate on this date, but I’m not so sure it’s a fond memory for Wilson.
As for Kyle Farnsworth, he had some decent years with the Cubs, and then bounced around between various MLB and Triple-A teams for the better part of a decade before a couple final baseball years in Mexico.
Then, naturally, he became an actual football player:
Kyle Farnsworth, now 48, played a little while for the Orlando Phantoms, and even generated a highlight reel. He was definitely still a big dude:
