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There have been only 20 official perfect games over the past 135 years of Major League Baseball. Last year, White Sox pitcher-Mark Buehrle became the only pitcher to throw a perfect game in the past five years. This year, both Dallas Braden and Roy Holladay have pitched perfect games. With one out to go last Wednesday, Cooperstown was clearing room to add Armando Galarraga to the perfect game hall of fame.
In only a crowd of 17,738 in Detroit with one out to go, Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera moved to field the grounder by Jason Donald and fired to Galarraga covering first-base for out 27. The crowd was cheering for the first perfect game in Tigers history the announcers called Donald out and then umpire Jim Joyce yelled “safe”. The cheers quickly became boo’s, a franchise record quickly became a nightmare and a pitcher just smiled.
As a fan of the game you find yourself rooting for Galarraga even if you’re not a Tigers fan. The caliber and prestige of a perfect game makes you a fan of baseball and everyone watching wanted to pass down the memory of the night they witnessed a perfect game. But what I will remember from the game is the reaction of Galarraga. He just smiled while the world of baseball called Joyce every name in the book. He didn’t go for an ejection, he didn’t throw his hat/glove; he just smiled and finished his game.
Joyce tearfully spoke to the media after he watched the re-play and he admitted that he made a mistake that cost Garlarraga a perfect game. It was the biggest call of his career and he blew it. He spoke to Garlarraga and apologized in person. “You don’t see an umpire after the game come out and say, `Hey, let me tell you I’m sorry,'” Galarraga said.
Baseball fans needed more than a night to walk off the fury for the blown call. As Jim Joyce walked on the field for Thursday’s game, his emotions were shown in the bags under his eyes. Death threats didn’t stop him from being a man and facing a crowd of boo’s and the player whose dream he took away. Tigers manager Jim Leyland had Galarraga present the lineup up card as a way to defuse the uproar of the previous night
When Jim Joyce and Armando Galarraga shook hands, Jim Joyce wasn’t the only one with tears. When most fans wanted to punch Joyce, Galarraga shook his hand and kept a smile on his face. It might be one the classiest moment in sports. I give Joyce, Galarraga and Leyland all a standing ovation for handling the situation with such character and class. In the game of sportsmanship- baseball won.