Bull in the Afternoon ?

11 August 1937 - Under attack from Leftist American writer, Max Eastman, Ernest Hemingway accidently bumped into him in Max Perkins' Scribner Publishing office and a major altercation ensued...

In describing Hemingway's literary style in Death in the Afternoon, Eastman previously announced with assertion that the book was filled with "juvenile romantic sentimentalizing over a rather lamentable practice of the culture of Spain." Eastman challenged Hemingway's statement that the spectacle was a tragedy, insisting that it was merely a case of men torturing and killing a dumb animal. Moving from the book to the author, Eastman then suggested that Hemingway's defense of and interest in the bullfight was prompted by his lack of confidence in his own manliness, which had caused Hemingway to adopt a 'literary style of wearing false hair on the chest.'

Upon their accidental meeting, both men exchanged pleasantries and Hemingway, grinning, ripped open his shirt to reveal his hairy chest. He then, still grinning, ripped open Eastman's shirt to reveal no hair. Then Hemingway, in a flash of anger, hit Eastman in the face with a copy of the review and a wrestling match ensued. Hemingway's temper quickly quieted and no damage was done to either man.

Each went on his way to relate to the press and others, his version of the encounter.