Perfect Shame
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Sports fans exist for the moments, moments that transcend the game and fill the heart of a fan base.
Wednesday night at Comerica Park in Detroit, the Tigers' Armando Galarraga delivered one of those rare moments, pitching a perfect game against the Cleveland Indians.
However, it was a performance that will go down in infamy and not glory. The chance to celebrate one of the rarest feats in baseball was ripped from the hearts of Motor City sports fans when first-base umpire Jim Joyce missed the call on the final out calling Jason Donald safe on a bang-bang play.
Everyone in the ballpark was stunned. Announcers bemoaned, fans booed, and players and coaches were irate over Joyce's momentary lapse. Every replay of the play conclusively showed that the throw from first-baseman Miguel Cabrera to Galarraga covering the bag beat the runner, a fact that Joyce himself admitted after seeing what he had missed.
“I just cost that kid a perfect game," Joyce said. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay."
Joyce, who is a 21-year veteran of Major League Baseball, is widely regarded as one of the best umpires in the league. But for all his years of excellent service to the game, Joyce will forever be remembered for this one mistake.
Joyce feels awful, the fans of the Tigers were robbed and Galarraga was kept from the baseball history books. So what needs to happen next? What can MLB commissioner Bud Selig do to make this right and ensure that it never happens again?
Selig released a statement Thursday congratulating Galarraga and the Tigers, not only for their excellent performances, but for the manner in which they conducted themselves amid the chaos that followed the game.
"The dignity and class of the entire Detroit Tigers organization under such circumstances were truly admirable and embodied good sportsmanship of the highest order," Selig said in a statement.
Selig did not make a ruling on the call being overturned, neglecting to address his clear intentions on a possible reversal of the call. However, the AP, citing an anonymous baseball official, said the call will not be reversed.
"While the human element has always been an integral part of baseball, it is vital that mistakes on the field be addressed," Selig added. "Given last night's call and other recent events, I will examine our umpiring system, the expanded use of instant replay and all other related features."
It was the first 28-out perfect game in MLB history, but its long term impact may hold more significance than any of the 20 official occurrences of the rare feat as further use of instant replay in "America's pastime" could emerge as a result.
Wednesday night at Comerica Park in Detroit, the Tigers' Armando Galarraga delivered one of those rare moments, pitching a perfect game against the Cleveland Indians.
However, it was a performance that will go down in infamy and not glory. The chance to celebrate one of the rarest feats in baseball was ripped from the hearts of Motor City sports fans when first-base umpire Jim Joyce missed the call on the final out calling Jason Donald safe on a bang-bang play.
Everyone in the ballpark was stunned. Announcers bemoaned, fans booed, and players and coaches were irate over Joyce's momentary lapse. Every replay of the play conclusively showed that the throw from first-baseman Miguel Cabrera to Galarraga covering the bag beat the runner, a fact that Joyce himself admitted after seeing what he had missed.
“I just cost that kid a perfect game," Joyce said. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay."
Joyce, who is a 21-year veteran of Major League Baseball, is widely regarded as one of the best umpires in the league. But for all his years of excellent service to the game, Joyce will forever be remembered for this one mistake.
Joyce feels awful, the fans of the Tigers were robbed and Galarraga was kept from the baseball history books. So what needs to happen next? What can MLB commissioner Bud Selig do to make this right and ensure that it never happens again?
Selig released a statement Thursday congratulating Galarraga and the Tigers, not only for their excellent performances, but for the manner in which they conducted themselves amid the chaos that followed the game.
"The dignity and class of the entire Detroit Tigers organization under such circumstances were truly admirable and embodied good sportsmanship of the highest order," Selig said in a statement.
Selig did not make a ruling on the call being overturned, neglecting to address his clear intentions on a possible reversal of the call. However, the AP, citing an anonymous baseball official, said the call will not be reversed.
"While the human element has always been an integral part of baseball, it is vital that mistakes on the field be addressed," Selig added. "Given last night's call and other recent events, I will examine our umpiring system, the expanded use of instant replay and all other related features."
It was the first 28-out perfect game in MLB history, but its long term impact may hold more significance than any of the 20 official occurrences of the rare feat as further use of instant replay in "America's pastime" could emerge as a result.
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