What a Miscarriage of Sports Justice

Friday, June 4, 2010

Wednesday brought one of the gravest injustices in sports history.

A national television audience was treated to the final two suspenseful innings of a bid for a perfect game by the Detroit Tigers’ Armando Galarraga. The 28-year-old starter, a relative unknown who was recently called back up from the minor leagues, got through 26 batters unscathed.

With two outs in the ninth, Cleveland’s Jason Donald knocked a grounder of his own to first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Galarraga came over to cover the bag. The throw was on target and in time. But veteran umpire Jim Joyce inexplicably called Donald safe.

Replays quickly confirmed that Joyce had blown the call. The throw had beaten Donald by almost a full step.

The call not only robbed Galarraga of a once-in-a-career moment but also prevented an unprecedented historical milestone from being recognized. It would have been the third perfect game in less than a month, following the gems by Oakland’s Dallas Braden and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay. Only 20 pitchers in history have thrown perfect games at the major league level. The last time there were two in one season was in 1880.

It’s sickening to think what Joyce must be feeling. A major league ump since 1989, Joyce is respected by players and has an impeccable record. Now, right or wrong, he will forever be remembered for Wednesday’s heartbreaking debacle.

Galarraga and the Tigers deserve praise for the way they handled the situation. So does Joyce, for owning up to his mistake and apologizing — something that’s almost as rare as a perfect game in the world of umpiring.

Most disappointing is the lack of action by Commissioner Bud Selig. Already reviled by many fans for other reasons, he alone had the power to make things right by reversing the call. Even though he acknowledged that the ending of the game should have been different, he issued a vague statement indicating he would “examine” umpiring and the further use of instant replay.

What a balk.

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JohnChappell 2 years, 11 months ago

Well, it might not be OFFICIALLY recognized as “a perfect game” — but it was one, wasn’t it?

Sure, I know: umpires have to call 27 outs, one inning after another, for a pitcher to claim a perfect game — and umpires are not allowed to realize they made a mistake and change their calls later, no matter the facts.

Maybe this should illustrate a significant discrepancy between the story of the grand American pastime as told by baseball officials and the one told by historians and newspapers where facts matter more than calls.

peterprints 2 years, 11 months ago

I hate the press...after a week a bludgeoning politicians who lied on their resumes and then couldn't admit to it, they completely miss one of the greatest teachable moments in sports and in life, if sports is truly a metaphor for life. First of all was that incredible smile that Galarraga flashed the moment he realized the ump had called the runner safe. He didn't explode, he didn't rant or rage or do any of those things that the media really wanted him to do so they could hype the video. Some of us knew immediately that this young man was special. And when the ump apologized immediately after reviewing the replay, some of us knew we were on to something very special...not necessarily the yelling and screaming that the media wanted. In fact they chose not to highlight the gratuitousness of both parties but focused over and over on the injustice of it all. It was like the press trying to get Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky into a fight during a hockey game...it ain't gonna happen.

Bottom line Galarraga got a new Corvette and the ump got an ovation the following night from the same fans he had robbed of a perfect game. They knew he was a stand up guy who, if he ever runs for congress, won't lie on his resume.