Fame is strange. It comes in weird ways and it isn't always what we thought we wanted when it rests it's fickle finger upon us.
What would you say was the most memorable event in boxing? Would it involve some of the classic Ali fights? Maybe it would go back to undefeated Rocky Marciano or possibly the great Joe Lewis. But it might be this one:
Tunney vs Dempsey in the Long Count Fight
It wasn't the fight itself that became famous, but the strange event of the delayed count that interferred with a knockout.
That's why this is going to be more historic and memorable than what most would have thought was the better outcome:
The 28-Out Perfect Game
Sure, a perfect game is a magnificent achievement, but there have been three already this year alone. Who pitched the other ones? You'd have to look it up, but I'll bet that if you are a baseball fan you will remember Armando Galarraga long after any of those others.
This is a distinction in a game that is characterized by statistics and record-keeping for years. The ump blew the call. He acknowledged it. He feels justifiably bad about it. He apologized. The pitcher accepted what happened at the time and with graciousness accepted the apology. The participants all were mature and adult. It was a fine moment for baseball, not a dark one.
The commissioner did the right thing. He refused to reverse the call. Predictably the President is shooting his mouth off, the congress-critters from Michigan are expressing outrage and proposing legislation, and the White House Press Secretary is glibly suggesting "an executive order" to correct the situation.
My sincere hope is that the knee-jerk calls for instant replay are properly ignored and that baseball continues with the dignity and maturity it possesses in general while we fondly look back on the 28-out perfect game for years.
2 comments:
The finality of the umpire's call, right or wrong, is the most important life lesson baseball teaches young Americans.
This was a text book example on how to handle such an occurrence on both sides. The umpire didn't make any excuses and apologized, both publicly and to the pitcher in person. The pitcher graciously accepted the apology and insisted everyone was human. The manager said all the right things and both sides agreed it was unfortunate but hardly the end of the world.
The end result was that the fans forgave and cheered instead of booed or worse.
Now, if only our politicians and hollywood could learn a lesson.
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