Those of you that pay attention to baseball already know this story. For those that don't follow the sport allow me to set this up. Indulge me please. A perfect game is the rarest thing in baseball. By different accounts, baseball either began professionally in 1871 or 1877 depending on your point of view. The National League opened play in 1877. The National Association was short-lived and began play in 1871. The first perfect games were completed in 1880. So, even if we start the clock with the National League then we see that there has been 133 years of professional baseball (nearly 140 if we count the 1871 version).
In simple English, a perfect game occurs when the opposing team has zero base runners. That means no hits, walks, errors, or in the case of last night, blown umpire calls. Up until this year there had been eighteen of them. 1880 was the only occurrence where there had been two in one season. That was until 2010. Through June 2nd, there has been two this year and last night there should have been a third. I set this up to allow you to appreciate how rare these events are.
As you may imagine, pitchers that accomplish this feat are known forever for that accomplishment. Don Larsen pitched a perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Otherwise, he won about 50 games and lost close to 100. Yet, mention Larsen's name and you immediately harken back to 1956. Mike Witt and Len Barker are more recent inductees into the club. They were both considerably better than Larsen, but neither is known for anything else. Armando Gallaraga should be a part of that club. He is not because umpire Jim Joyce blew a call with two outs in the ninth. The correct call would have ended the game and immediately inducted Gallarage into that exclusive club. The right call wasn't made.
Every angle has been used on this story. Some people want suspensions for umpires that blow calls. Others want instant replay. These are all acceptable targets, but I wanted to talk about Joyce himself. In a world where so many people make mistakes and just keep on going, Joyce had the courage to admit he was wrong. He laid it all out on the line, "I cost that kid a perfect game," he told the press after reviewing the replay. He humanized a profession in one instant and I for one am thankful he did.
My father was a basketball and football referee when I grew up. In his prime (imagine officials having a prime) he refereed Southwest Conference basketball for men and women. His refereeing career ended when Larry Johnson (Grandmama) ran over him in a junior conference game. Every ligament in his knee was torn. He now has an artificial knee that still sometimes causes pain. Basketball is not baseball, but all of these men and women are a part of fraternity of people that rarely get thanked for what they do. They usually get the business end of taunt or tirade from coaches, fans, and players.
As a club volleyball coach, I had to get on the referee stand every now and then. It's isn't fun. You agonize over every second of action and pray you don't have a close call you have to make. I had a fellow coach berate me once for having the courage to make a judgement call. It went against her and she thought I was wrong. I'm proud to say that I never got a yellow card as a coach and one of the reasons is that I had that experience. When I do argue with officials it is usually on rules related questions. Everyone should know the rulebook. Judgement calls are hard to argue.
As for last night's gaffe, MLB could rule the runner out after the fact and grant him a perfect game. That might satisfy some, but part of the magic is the moment and the celebration afterwards. However, official scorers have ruled hits errors and errors hits the next morning. So, it wouldn't be completely out of left field. Suspending an umpire for blowing a call seems cruel. Fines and suspensions should come for bad behavior and not single mistakes. I would think most officials would welcome replay. The last thing any of them wants is to be known as the guy that cost a team or win or a kid a chance at immortality. Still, when kids are looking for role models and the rest of us are looking for hope in humanity, you could do a lot worse than Jim Joyce. Armando Gallaraga did well for himself too. He was the only one not to yell and scream. Thank you both for taking a perfectly imperfect moment and turning it into something special.
I can always count on you Carguy. It is a perfect Selig moment. Baseball succeeds again despite his gross incompetence.
This is already one of baseball's "Most memorable moments." And, justifiably so.
"10"
I agree with carguy.
Saw Galleraga on CBS Early Show this morning. Saw how upset Joyce was yesterday when he faced Galleraga at home plate.
Frankly, (in retrospect)I am glad that Selig did nothing. This thing has ended better because of his inaction. What class Galleraga and Joyce exhibited here.
Don't ge me wrong. I'm not saying Selig was right. Only that it all turned out GOOD. He knows he pitched a perfect game. We know he pitched a perfect. Does anything else really matter?
Oh, somebody gave him a new Corvette as a reward to honor his accomplishment. Now THAT'S what really matters. A new Corvette.
I may be a little biased.
I can't believe Bud blew this; he did such a good job on the steroids issue.
The umpire acknowledged and seems sincerely sorry. He admitted he was wrong. There is video proof that he is wrong. Selig needs to take his rulebook out of his rectum and retroactively give the guy the recognition, even if he misses the celebration.
I agree with Carguy. Umpires have and will miss a call. I do think that MLB should provide some kind of instant replay review for the game. It does seem that really egregious errors have become more common.
I listened over the radio to Sandy Koufax's perfect game when I was a young kid. I damn near ran down the battery in the car. We lived in Southern Utah and the car radio was the only thing that would pick up Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett doing the play by play. It was a magical moment surpassed only by the time when I sat 3 rows behind the Braves dugout and watched Hammering Hank Aaron hit 715.
I'd like to see the game restored but it's not going to happen. All involved deserve credit for their exemplary reaction to a bad situation.
Bud says NO!
I expected as much.
I don't remember just how many perfect games have been pitched and I don't remember who or when they we pitched. I also don't know what any of the pitchers may have received for their great game in way of salary or gifts.
It is the oddities that are best remembered and this is one of those. Plus GM gave him a new Vet and I am sure any time some reporter reports on "no hitters" it will most likely be be the number, not the person, reported and this just missed no hitter will be mentioned as well.
Umpires make mistakes. This WAS a close call. Do we fix it?
If I was Bud, in this instance, since it doesn't affect anything else, I would.
I do think that Joyce, the umpire and Galleraga have been exemplary in their behavior.
You asked about "justice" yesterday. "Justice" would be righting a wrong when it was discovered IF you had the ability to do so. Mr. Selif HAS that ability.
I'd say more but I've got to get back to Bob's blog on the BP spill.