By now everyone knows about the blown call by umpire Jim Joyce that cost Detroit Tiger pitcher Armando Galarraga a career-changing perfect game. After retiring 26 batters in a row all that stood in the way of a perfect game was Cleveland Indian shortstop Jason Donald. Donald hit a slow roller to the 1st base side of the infield that required Galarraga to cover 1st. He fielded the tossed ball seconds ahead of Donald touching 1st base; a perfect game. But NO! Jim Joyce called Donald safe. Replays clearly showed a botched call. There is no instant replay in baseball so the bad call stands, the perfect game never happened (at least officially) and everyone is upset.
At first, the usual expected reactions did occur. But fast forward to after the game when Jim Joyce watched the replay and immediately realized that his human mistake cost Galarraga a perfect game; a chance at history and the Hall of Fame. Joyce was devastated. And Joyce began to apologize profusely. The intensity and sincerity of his apology has touched everyone including Galarraga and the entire Detroit Tiger organization. In fact, the class and dignity and respect shown by the Tigers, led by manager Jim Leyland, has helped to make this a moment that is more profound than a perfect game. It is one of the classic moments of forgiveness and charity.
So complete is Joyce's apology and resulting repentance and so complete is the acceptance of said apology by Galarraga and the Tigers that Jim Joyce received more than substantial applause today as he took the field to umpire Thursday's game. So overwhelmed by the generous show of forgiveness, the man took the field literally in tears. The whole scene at home plate today, with Galarraga handing Joyce today's line up card, was emotional.
In the end, a near perfect game, lost forever by a blown call, has become a profound teaching moment. And the lesson is to forgive, to be civil and to demonstrate class and dignity when presented even with a situation that is unfair and unjust.
Wow! What a moment.
It’s a shame Galarraga lost his bid for a perfect game on Jim Joyce’s blown call. It would have been the third such game thrown in the majors this year, and the season is only approximately one-third over! This is amazing when you consider that this is the first year in baseball’s modern era that saw not one but TWO perfect games thrown.
ReplyDeleteMajor League Baseball definitely needs to take a look at expanding the use of instant replay because of this incident. I am always amazed at the fact that serious events seem to always bring about changes. This applies to many areas, not just sports.