I was watching on TV when the blown call was made in the Cleveland/Detroit ballgame. We heard endlesssly from the commentators how bad it was and demanding a reversal, etc. As you know, these folks are unflawed. It continues today in the newspapers, as well as on radio and TV.

What has been almost totally missed was the reaction of Armando Galarraga, the pitcher who was denied a perfect game because of the call. If you were watching, you saw that he reacted excitedly at first, thinking he had just made history, but then, when he realized the call, all he did was smile and go back to work and retire the last batter.

The umpire, Jim Joyce, has been at it for 22 years and is widely regarded as one of the best in the business. He reportedly was devastated after a look at the replay and apologized publicly (an unprecedented act and discouraged by major league baseball), but not before he did so to Galarraga. Galarraga said, among other things, that he (himself) was not perfect and hugged Joyce, who will be remembered for nothing but this historic error on an irreversible call.

Armando Galarraga has just zoomed to the top of my list of favorite people in the world. I can only hope that there are many more people among us with that much class. That is what I will always remember him for if he never wins another game.

Richard White

Pinehurst