In the first month of the 1966 season, something strange happened: Players started getting fined for talking to other players.



Six Braves were fined $25 each on Opening Day. So were six Phillies. The Alou brothers — Felipe, Matty and Jesus — were instructed “not to be so chummy in full view of the stands,” or else they, too, would get fined for breaking the league’s “no-fraternization” rule.



“You mean I can’t talk to my brother?” Jesus Alou asked Giants manager Herman Franks.



“Go ahead,” Franks said. “But it’ll cost you $25 if they catch you.”



So instead, the Alou brothers stood on the field, 35 feet apart, and pretended they weren’t actually talking. It was silly, ridiculous and about 10 other adjectives.



It was also old school.



And baseball loves nothing more than talking about the old school. Just the other day, Royals manager Ned Yost...