Garrett’s helmet swing is latest violent incident in sports

Violence is part of the game in many sports but Myles Garrett crossed a line that attracts the attention of authorities sometimes from within their sport and in other cases from criminal prosecutors.

The Cleveland Browns’ star defensive end ripped the helmet off Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and hit him in the head with it in front of a national television audience Thursday night.

The NFL swiftly suspended Garrett for at least the rest of the 2019 season and playoffs, the longest suspension for an on-field infraction in league history.

Garrett is not the only player to face stiff punishment. Here are some others:

Aug. 22, 1965: Juan Marichal hit John Roseboro in the head with a bat. After a high and inside pitch by the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax, Roseboro’s return throw whizzed close to Marichal’s ear. Roseboro, his mask still on, moved toward the Giants’ Marichal, who then swung his bat and hit Roseboro on the head. The attack opened a bloody, two-inch gash. Roseboro grabbed Marichal, both benches emptied and a 15-minute scuffle ensued. Marichal was ejected and apologized the next day. Roseboro left the game at Candlestick Park with a blood-soaked towel pressed against his head and returned to the lineup three days later.

Penalty: Marichal was suspended for eight games (he missed two starts) and fined $1,750 by the National League. Roseboro later sued Marichal for $110,000 in damages. The case was settled in 1970, with Roseboro reportedly receiving

$7,500.

July 13, 1974: British & Irish Lions played one of the most violent rugby matches ever. Lions players adopted a “99 call,” a policy where all members of the team would gather to retaliate if they felt the opposition were being too physical and trying to injure players. Lions fullback JJ Williams at one point ran halfway down the field to launch himself at Johannes van Heerden. Scuffles all over the field ensued.

Penalty: No Lions player was ejected during the tour and the visitors returned home with a 3-0 win in the test series.

Dec. 9, 1977: Rockets forward Kermit Washington punched Rudy Tomjanovich in the face during a fight at midcourt in a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston. Tomjanovich ran in to try to play peacemaker. Instead, he took a hard righthand punch from Washington that knocked him out. Tomjanovich eventually needed multiple operations to repair facial fractures. He also suffered a concussion and other serious injuries. Tomjanovich returned the next season, though was never the same player again.

Penalty: Washington was fined $10,000 and suspended at least 60 days (26 games). At the time, the suspension was the longest in NBA history.

Jan. 25, 1996: Manchester United’s Eric Cantona already had a checkered record when he was ejected for a retaliatory kick at a Crystal Palace defender who had pulled his shirt. As he walked along the sideline, Cantona suddenly jumped feet-first over the advertising boards to attack Palace fan Matthew Simmons. The pair traded punches before Cantona was hauled away and escorted toward the tunnel by teammate Peter Schmeichel.

Penalty: Cantona was arrested by police and convicted of assault, although he successfully appealed a two-week jail sentence and instead completed 120 hours of community service. United suspended Cantona for the rest of the season and the Football Association extended the ban to eight months, a punishment that was made worldwide by FIFA. Cantona also lost the captaincy of the France national team over the incident and never played for his country again. The player later said he was wrong to attack Simmons but acknowledged that it had given him “a great feeling.”