It might have been a short work-week, but what a week it was!
One more time around on the “Perfect Game that Wasn’t But We All Know Was”… I noticed that in the still pictures, the umpire Jim Joyce is staring at Galarraga’s glove with the ball in it, instead of the first base bag. I’ve always heard that umpires watch the base with their eyes and listen with their ears to hear the sound of the ball hitting the glove. That’s how they make the calls. Obviously, you can’t look at both things at the same time. So that’s the way it’s done. It did not appear from the photos that that’s the way Joyce did it and therefore that’s why he made the bad call. Just a thought… Also, I think it’s total bull that Bud Selig, the Baseball Commissioner did not reverse the call and give Galarraga the out and therefore the perfect game – since the video proves, and the umpire himself has repeatedly stated, that he got it wrong. Even though it’s against the rules of baseball to review anything but a questionable homerun, in this particular case of a pitcher throwing a perfect game, an exception should be made to the rule. A wrong should always be righted!
But there is a positive side to all of this…
After the initial shock and dismay over the “Galarraga Incident”, Detroiters showed the nation what kind of town we really are: A classy and forgiving one. Not only did the umpire, the pitcher and the coach all act like complete gentlemen – but for the most part - the fans were equally as gracious. I can’t tell you how many e-mails and Facebook posts I received about people who, instead of being angry, felt deeply sorry for Jim Joyce – many saying they were praying for him. There were no over-turned cars, nothing set on fire… just an amazing sense of good sportsmanship all around. What started out as an “I Can’t Believe He Just Did That” moment turned into a very public and much needed shot in the arm for a city that too often is looked down upon. This play, this game, and the positive way it was handled have now entered baseball lore and will be remembered for all time. Isn’t that amazing?!
Have a great weekend!
-Dick