When Cleveland star Albert Belle maintained his innocence after being caught red-handed with corked bat

In July 1994, Cleveland Guardians star Albert Belle was caught by MLB umpires using a corked bat in a game against the Chicago White Sox. Next, Belle's bat was taken away and locked in a chamber for further investigation.

During the game, Jason Grimsley, a former teammate of Albert's, was sent to replace a corked bat belonging to the team's first baseman Paul Sorrento with Belle's regular bat.

It's believed that Jason accessed the umpire's room by going through the false ceiling of the clubhouse. After it was found out that the bat had been switched, the Chicago police were called and the White Sox threatened to file charges against the person who had done it. MLB then brought in a former FBI agent to investigate the whole situation.

On July 18, 1994, Albert's original bat was sent to MLB. After being dissected in two, the bat was found to be corked, and the former outfielder was banned from playing for 10 games. After appealing, Belle's suspension was reduced to seven games.

Despite all the brouhaha, Belle continued to maintain his innocence, saying:

"I have never used or knowingly attempted to use a corked bat in a game."

However, Albert Belle's reduced suspension made zero sense as the 1994–95 MLB strike began on Aug. 12, 1994. The remainder of the baseball season (1994), including the playoffs and the World Series, was canceled as a result. The strike was put on pause on April 2, 1995.

Jason Grimsley spilled the details about Albert Belle's 1994 corked bat incident

Pitcher Jason Grimsley #38 of the Kansas City Royals delivers against the Toronto Blue Jays during the game at Kauffman Stadium on May 12, 2004, in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals won 4-3. (Photo by Larry W. Smith/Getty Images)

Albert Belle's former teammate, who made an attempt to save him from receiving a game ban, later came clean about the 1994 Cleveland Guardians' corked bat incident in a 1999 interview with The New York Times.

In 1999, Jason played for the New York Yankees.