One of his teammates was Jack Johnson, who went on to become an NHL defenseman and now plays for the Chicago Blackhawks. Johnson got tired of brushback pitches and charged the mound. A brawl broke out. Crosby, who was on deck, grabbed the catcher to keep him from blindsiding Johnson.
The athletic director made them sit out the rest of the season.
"Yeah," Crosby said Sunday, laughing. "That was my last game."
It wasn't his last baseball memory, though. Crosby got the chance to take batting practice at PNC Park, the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, on Sept. 8, 2010.
Beforehand, he asked teammate Mike Rupp if he wanted to go to a local batting cage to prepare.
"I'm glad we did," Crosby said, "because it was an awesome day."
Crosby didn't just take a few swings at PNC Park. A lefty, he crushed a ball high into the rightfield seats. It bounced out of the ballpark, and we don't need to worry about mistaken memories this time. The video confirms it.
Watch on YouTube
"I was close a couple times, and then I finally got one," Crosby said. "I was pretty excited. I mean, I always led off growing up. I was getting on base, but I wasn't hitting it long. So, to get one there, that was really, really cool."
Rupp was amazed.
"His lefthanded swing was smooth," said Rupp, now an NHL Network analyst. "This sounds foolish to say, but I mean this. It was almost like Ken Griffey Jr."
You'd have to think Crosby could homer at Fenway Park, famous for the Pesky Pole, the foul pole just 302 feet down the rightfield line.
"If I put one out there [at PNC Park], I would hope," Crosby said. "But that'd be wishful thinking now. I mean, how long ago was that?"
Crosby was 23 then. He's 35 now.
"I'd like to think I still have that power," he said with a laugh. "I don't know."
Who knows, though?
Crosby is still an elite athlete. He leads the Penguins in goals (19), assists (24) and points (43) this season, and he entered the New Year tied for 13th in the NHL in scoring with Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk and Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor.
"That guy can do anything that he decides he wants to do," Rupp said. "I've got buddies who've played in the big leagues. I'm not saying Sid could hang in the big leagues, but you could tell this guy's played baseball before. It's awesome."