Odd topic for me, but let’s talk baseball. Specifically, let’s talk about the blown call last night in the Tigers/Tribe tilt last night which cost a young pitcher a perfect game.
I’ve seen the clip and the first base umpire blew the call which should have been the very last out of the game. You watch the clip and it’s not even close. The last batter was out by a full step and it should have been a perfect game for this pitcher. But he was called safe.
The crowd reacts predictably and even though I have no love for the Tigers, I have to admit I felt bad for this pitcher. A perfect game is a rare thing and to have it taken away on the last out on a blown call is unbelievable. It’s then that something remarkable happens, the first of two remarkable things.
The pitcher, his perfect game now gone, looks at the ump with an incredulous look. But that’s it. No storming the ump and getting in his face, no tantrums, just a look of “you’ve got to be kidding me” before he went back to the mound. Given the amount of competitiveness bred into today’s professional players, it’s a wonder he didn’t completely lose it, but he kept his class and composure in the face of his mark on history disappearing.
After the game, the ump looked at the replay, realized he wasn’t just wrong but unbelievably wrong. He lamented over it, paced and worried over what his call just cost this young pitcher. He found the player and apologized over the call, something that you rarely hear of or see.
If you have a chance, read this short piece about the ump. For me though, it places a bit of faith that two grown men getting paid for playing a game can still exemplify class and humility.
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