CLEVELAND (WJW) — Anyone who knows Tom Hamilton personally will tell you he stays away from social media.
With the exception of his family and co-workers, he wasn’t aware how six words have become a viral sensation after a game-time brawl Saturday during the Guardians-White Sox game.
“They’re fighting, they’re swinging,” Hamilton started when the fight began. “Down goes Anderson, down goes Anderson.”
In the sixth inning on Saturday night, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and Guardian Jose Ramírez threw punches at second base, and the Guardians’ All-Star third baseman knocked down Anderson with a lucky overhand right to the chin. Anderson was dazed by the blow.
Both players were ejected, along with Cleveland manager Terry Francona, third base coach Mike Sarbaugh, closer Emmanuel Clase and Chicago manager Pedro Grifol. In all, eight were disciplined after the brawl.
Over the last 33 years behind the microphone for the Cleveland Indians and now Guardians, Hamilton has some memorable calls on the radio. But the Tim Anderson-Jose Ramirez fight call may be one of the best yet.
“It’s not really about me,” he said. “It’s not about the call. It’s about a heck of a right hook from Jose Ramirez, but it’s also about what a great teammate Jose is.”
The call quickly went viral, creating buzz on Twitter and racking up millions of views.
“You could just as easily have messed it up,” he said. “I was fortunate that maybe the right words came, but like I said, you’re five minutes away from saying the wrong thing and ruining your career, and you keep that in your mind every night.”
GV Art and Design has been around for more than 15 years, producing thousands of T-shirts with faces of Cleveland sports legends. By the end of the Guardians game on Sunday, the Anderson-Ramirez punch design was finished and the order made with the printers. It’s emblazoned with the words: Down goes Anderson.
The store says it might be the most requested shirt they’ve ever had.
It was the fastest design GV Art and Design has ever had to turn around. The shirts aren’t in any of the company’s four stores yet. But they should be in the next day or two.
According to the website, they’ll cost $30.
It’s not just GV Art and Design rallying around Ramirez.
The Lake County Captains are having a Jose Ramirez Appreciation Week. It will include that all fans with the name Tim get a ticket to sit down on the grass. There’s also a home run punch derby and a punch-out competition in the 80s arcade.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.