On August 22, 1968, McAuliffe was involved in a brawl with Chicago White Sox pitcher Tommy John. After one pitch barely missed McAuliffe's head, and another was thrown behind him, McAuliffe charged the mound, drove his knee into John's shoulder and separated it. John was out for the season, and McAuliffe was suspended for five games. Interviewed 30 years later, McAuliffe was still convinced John was throwing at his head: ""The first pitch at me was right at my head, and I mean right at my head. The catcher never laid any leather on it, and it hit the backstop. The next pitch, he spun me down, threw it behind me."" White Sox' general manager Ed Short took a different view, pointing out the pitch before the fight came on a 3-2 count, resulting in a runner reaching base.