[nky]

FYI

The Dracula persona evolved because of a pair of authentic biting incidents—one on the field and the other at a Cincinnati nightspot. The first took place during the infamous third game of the 1973 National League Championship Series, when Borbon and the Reds became entangled in a bench-clearing brawl with the underdog New York Mets.

The brawl started when Pete Rose upended the much smaller Buddy Harrelson at second base, initiating a tussle between the Reds star and the Mets’ pint-sized shortstop. As benches and bullpens cleared at Shea Stadium, Borbon became an active participant in the brawl.

During the melee, Borbon’s cap fell from his head. Seeing a loose cap on the ground, Borbon picked it up, assuming that it was his. Within a few moments, Borbon noticed a Mets logo on the cap. Upset that he had picked up the wrong cap—one that belonged to Mets outfielder Cleon Jones (another interesting character)—Borbon took a healthy bite out of the stray hat. For the first time in his career, Dracula had struck.

Later in his career, a more serious incident left a mark on Borbon’s reputation. In May of 1979, Borbon was enjoying a night out at a Cincinnati disco when he became involved in a fight. During the fracas, Borbon bit one of the disco’s bouncers in the chest, prompting a charge of assault. When asked by Cincinnati Enquirer writer Mark Purdy to explain Borbon’s motivation, the bouncer offered his best bit of conjecture. “He’s just a habitual biter, I guess.”
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/articl...r-dracula/