Let me set the scene. Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was one out away from pitching a perfect game. That’s one out away from eternal baseball fame. There were two outs in the ninth inning and a ground ball in the infield looked like a surefire end to the game and… the first base umpire blows a call so badly that this will likely cause an uproar for instant replay.
After the game the umpire saw the replay and said: “I just cost that kid a perfect game…I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay…It was the biggest call of my career.”
I feel terrible for this pitcher. Watch the vid:
Update: The umpire and the pitcher were both absolutely classy after the game. The umpire (Joyce) actually went to the Tigers locker room to apologize and Galarraga said he gave Joyce a hug when Joyce apologized to him after the game.
“He really feels bad,” Galarraga said. “He probably feels more bad than me. Nobody is perfect. I give a lot of credit to that guy. That (an apology) doesn’t happen. He apologized. He feels really bad. Nobody is perfect. What am I gonna do? His body language said more than a lot of words. His eyes were watery, he didn’t have too say much. His body language said a lot.”
Now that’s an amazing ending.
June 3, 2010 at 3:52 am
Unbelievable!
June 3, 2010 at 4:35 am
Our family was watching that game on tv – from the third inning on – and we were just heartbroken (and angry!) at that call. It was almost as if winning the game meant nothing.
I told my sons it's the first time a pitcher had to face 28 batters to pitch a perfect game.
June 3, 2010 at 7:49 am
What a SHAME!!… you honestly have to see it to believe it.. First time I saw it, I was like… no way, and the replay… confirmed it. I’m honestly surprised buddy didn’t get beat down hard… check out the HD video of the blown call here: http://www.lionsdenu.com/umpire-ruins-perfect-game/
Honestly, I am still giving him the perfect game, Congrats Gallaraga… now Selig NEEDS to overrule the call and award it!!!!
June 3, 2010 at 8:57 am
It's a shame that this happened to the pitcher, but umpires are people and people make mistakes. I was a soccer referee for several years and I was pretty good, but I'm sure I blew some calls, even some big ones. It seems easy when you're watching from the stands (or at home), but when you're out there on the field you realize it's harder than it looks.
June 3, 2010 at 1:48 pm
the first base umpire blows a call so badly that this will likely cause an uproar for instant replay.
Yep. Get ready for video court to take over.
June 3, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Just overturn the call Bud, and give the kid the perfect game. It won't affect the outcome
June 3, 2010 at 9:30 pm
The problem is that if you GIVE the kid the perfect game, then he hasn't EARNED the perfect game. Besides, it sounds much more like Mr. Galarraga's heart lies where his treasure is, and it isn't the pitcher's mound.
The small injustice involved in the lost perfect game is not important enough for a precedent that would result in worse problems later. It's the first step towards adjudicating a game rather than playing it to a hard-earned conclusion.
June 5, 2010 at 1:01 pm
I want the Umpire in question, Joyce, to go to the WHITE HOUSE immediately & give Rahm, O et al a lesson in "How to say: I Made a Mistake".
I am so used to hearing public figures play pass-the-buck-point-the-finger, I almost fell off my chair when I heard this guy take responsibility. He should get ALOT of credit for that since its a long forgotten virtue in this world.
June 5, 2010 at 5:20 pm
WHO CARES!!! After the 1994 World Series Strike I quit watching. Bunch of spoiled millionaires. The Romans idolized the gladiators right before their fall as well.