Armando Galarraga has Perfect Game Stolen by Bad Call

[cubsguy1969]

The umpire admitted already that he blew the call. A couple of excerpts from the story on espn.com. It was classy of the kid not to throw a fit.


"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."
"It was the biggest call of my career," said Joyce, who became a full-time major league umpire in 1989.


Joyce faced a group of hostile Tigers -- led by Leyland -- between the pitching mound and home plate after the final out and was booed lustily by the crowd of 17,738 as he walked off the field.
"I don't blame them a bit or anything that was said," Joyce said. "I would've said it myself if I had been Galarraga. I would've been the first person in my face, and he never said a word to me."

[19cbb]

Originally Posted by cubsguy1969

The umpire admitted already that he blew the call. A couple of excerpts from the story on espn.com. It was classy of the kid not to throw a fit.

"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."
"It was the biggest call of my career," said Joyce, who became a full-time major league umpire in 1989.

Joyce faced a group of hostile Tigers -- led by Leyland -- between the pitching mound and home plate after the final out and was booed lustily by the crowd of 17,738 as he walked off the field.
"I don't blame them a bit or anything that was said," Joyce said. "I would've said it myself if I had been Galarraga. I would've been the first person in my face, and he never said a word to me."

This kid is what's good for baseball!
Class act!

[JP]

(212) 931-7800

You can call and leave a message for the commissioner. Maybe with Joyce admitting he blew the call, they will correct this....

[yanks12025]

One more thing. If Bud Selig grew a pair of balls to change this play then he should give the records back to other players.

[sgbernard]

I agree with everyone here: I was watching it on ESPN and was dumbfounded, and now Joyce himself admits he blew it. Selig: do the right thing! (For once...just remembering how a certain All Star game ended a few years ago...Bud has some making-up to do here)

[oldjudge]

It is a pity that Galaraga was denied his perfect game, but with that being said I would not like Selig to go back and reverse the umpire's decision. Like bad hops, blown calls are part of the game. If the call went the other way, and the last batter was called out when he was really safe, would people be clamoring for Selig to take back the perfect game? After watching replays of the 1956 World Series, I don't think Larsen's called third strike on Dale Mitchell was a strike. Should the commissioner have interceded and replayed the last inning from that point onward? I feel sorry for Galaraga, who is a class act, but I'll take the game like it is, warts and all.