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Perfect game? Nope...

A link with a very simplified version of the 1908 Merkle play...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Merkle

I am a bit of a baseball historian and specialize in pre World War II baseball.
What this link didn't state is that the fans would gather in what would now be the fence in the outfield. (the game was played in New York) When the play was supposedly over, the fans rushed the field and the Cubs players were fighting the fans for the "real baseball." (a Giants player threw the baseball into the crowd) So it isn't really known if Johnny Evers had the "real" baseball or not... This also helped the Cubs get into the 1908 World Series!!! :lol:

As for Pulli's use of instant replay before it was approved, I read about that this morning...

I am in favor of instant replay, but not for ball and strike calls...

You mean without that play it would have been more than 102 years? IMO the call shouldn't be reversed. The kid knows he should have had a perfect game but he knows he still got a no-hitter. I'm sure the umpire didn't make the call just to do away with the perect game. I saw Joel Horlen's no-hitter for the White Sox in 1967. The last play of the game was a close play at first that could have went either way.
 
You mean without that play it would have been more than 102 years? IMO the call shouldn't be reversed. The kid knows he should have had a perfect game but he knows he still got a no-hitter. I'm sure the umpire didn't make the call just to do away with the perect game. I saw Joel Horlen's no-hitter for the White Sox in 1967. The last play of the game was a close play at first that could have went either way.

He did not get a no-hitter though. The ump ruled it a hit which given what the call was, that is the only thing it could be considered. So not only did he lose the perfect game, but he also lost the no-hitter which is part of why this is such a big deal. IMO it hurts nobody for Bud Selig to go back and call this a perfect game, but since he didn't, Galaragga can take pride in knowing that he is probably the first person in history to actually have a perfect game that required him to get 28 outs in a row...
 
You mean without that play it would have been more than 102 years?

yeah it would have been 103 years if that play wasn't reversed. The Cubs were actually good back then! :lol:

I heard an interview with Ken Burns last night. Burns seemed pretty confident that MLB will eventually allow Galarraga's game to be classified as a perfect game. He talked about this being a process. We'll see.......
 
He did not get a no-hitter though. The ump ruled it a hit which given what the call was, that is the only thing it could be considered. So not only did he lose the perfect game, but he also lost the no-hitter which is part of why this is such a big deal. IMO it hurts nobody for Bud Selig to go back and call this a perfect game, but since he didn't, Galaragga can take pride in knowing that he is probably the first person in history to actually have a perfect game that required him to get 28 outs in a row...

I know it was a hit because the ball wasn't mishandled and the runner was called safe. I meant in his mind he knows he had the no hitter.
 
Personally, I think MLB should leave the call as is.

The other side of this situation is the perfect opportunity to use this to teach all kids in America life isn't always perfect or fair, how to react to adversity, and to not whine and complain rules should be changed retroactively when things don't go right for an individual.

Galaragga's classy reaction/response to the missed call should be required viewing for all tee ball and little league players (and their parents)!

His composure to return to the mound and finish the game with a "W" was phenominal.

Galaragga's place in history is secured for a more important reason than a perfect game. He will be remembered far longer for how he handled the situation than he ever would have been completing a perfect game.

JMHO
 
What if the batter had been obviously safe and was called out and Gallaraga got the perfect game. Would the ones who want Bud Selig to give him a perfect game expect him to give the batter a hit and take away the perfect game. Should work both ways and IMO is why Selig was right.
 
What if the batter had been obviously safe and was called out and Gallaraga got the perfect game. Would the ones who want Bud Selig to give him a perfect game expect him to give the batter a hit and take away the perfect game. Should work both ways and IMO is why Selig was right.

My thoughts exactly. I believe it would set a bad precedent to go back and change calls at a later date. If he had been called out (and was obviously safe), do they go back and finish the game if/when a decision is made to reverse the call? And what if it had happened much earlier in the game? Is the rest of the game replayed from that point forward? I say just leave it alone.
 
This is not about "giving" Gallaraga a perfect game. It's about getting it right.

The way it's been handled by MLB and the ump has been a huge embarrassment.
 
This is not about "giving" Gallaraga a perfect game. It's about getting it right.

The way it's been handled by MLB and the ump has been a huge embarrassment.

I think you can say that about MLB if you want but Joyce has handled this as well as possibly could be expected. He admitted he was wrong, applogized to the Tigers and to Gallaraga, went on Detroit radio, and showed up to work the plate the next day... what else exactly could have Joyce done after the fact?

The guy got the call wrong but admitted the judgement call was wrong. I really can not think of any other umpire who would ever regardless of any situation admit he was wrong. Most would hide and run for Union cover.

And sorry but if you reverse the call then you "give" the perfect game to Gallaraga. Baseball is very simply an imperfect game. I hope it stays that way.
 
This is not about "giving" Gallaraga a perfect game. It's about getting it right.

The way it's been handled by MLB and the ump has been a huge embarrassment.

IMO, it's embarrassing watching the umpire apologize and crying. He called it the way he saw it at that split second like he has done thousands of calls. I know he feels bad but this isn't the first one he has called wrong, it's just that the situation was so much different.
Just thinking, if they would overturn this one, do you think Bradley could get the NCAA to review the film of the game in the Garden when Squeaky was obviously fouled, and give Bradley the National championship.
 
IMO, it's embarrassing watching the umpire apologize and crying. He called it the way he saw it at that split second like he has done thousands of calls. I know he feels bad but this isn't the first one he has called wrong, it's just that the situation was so much different.
Just thinking, if they would overturn this one, do you think Bradley could get the NCAA to review the film of the game in the Garden when Squeaky was obviously fouled, and give Bradley the National championship.

Sorry Chico, we can agree to disagree, but I find it refreshing that Joyce has openly admitted that he was wrong. IMO we need more of that...

IMHO, they should not review foul calls or non calls in Squeaky's case, but College Basketball does review last second shots and the occasional three point shot. Just about every sport uses a form of replay. I have yet to see a reason why baseball should not use replay. I personally don't like the "imperfect game" reason. The players, umpires, and fans deserve better. Baseball is a game that does change albeit slowly. --lowering the pithing mound in 1968...the dead ball era... just two examples....

One other point that I think that is lost in this thread and something that I think is a reason to support replay is that the umpiring in MLB has gotten steadily worse throughout the years.

Just my two cents on a rainy day...:)
 
IMO, it's embarrassing watching the umpire apologize and crying. He called it the way he saw it at that split second like he has done thousands of calls. I know he feels bad but this isn't the first one he has called wrong, it's just that the situation was so much different.
Just thinking, if they would overturn this one, do you think Bradley could get the NCAA to review the film of the game in the Garden when Squeaky was obviously fouled, and give Bradley the National championship.

There is a big difference between the perfect game and the situation you just brought up. If MLB reversed the call it would have no effect on the outcome of the game since the Tigers still won, just one batter later. You are, I think sarcastically, suggesting that if they reviewed the game with Squeaky, then that would change the outcome and give Bradley the National Championship. Since it doesn't change the outcome of the game, I really think that MLB should bite the bullet on this one and rule that the call was wrong and award the perfect game.

And on the subject of Jim Joyce, yeah I was not a fan of his crying and being so emotional when he has screwed up calls in his life because it is inevitable being an umpire, but to come out and admit he was wrong and apologize in person to Galaragga and then go back out there the next day and ump the plate after being told by MLB that he could have the day off shows a ton about his character and what kind of man he is and I really think that level of accountability is rarely seen these days. He, and Galaragga for that matter, has handled this whole situation extremely well IMHO.
 
There is a big difference between the perfect game and the situation you just brought up. If MLB reversed the call it would have no effect on the outcome of the game since the Tigers still won, just one batter later. You are, I think sarcastically, suggesting that if they reviewed the game with Squeaky, then that would change the outcome and give Bradley the National Championship. Since it doesn't change the outcome of the game, I really think that MLB should bite the bullet on this one and rule that the call was wrong and award the perfect game.

And on the subject of Jim Joyce, yeah I was not a fan of his crying and being so emotional when he has screwed up calls in his life because it is inevitable being an umpire, but to come out and admit he was wrong and apologize in person to Galaragga and then go back out there the next day and ump the plate after being told by MLB that he could have the day off shows a ton about his character and what kind of man he is and I really think that level of accountability is rarely seen these days. He, and Galaragga for that matter, has handled this whole situation extremely well IMHO.

Gosh, I thought it was obvious I was being sarcastic about the Squeaky non- call, which by the way was much more obvious than the call at first base. Sorry, but I think there are enough wrong calls made throughout the season that enventually cost team's wins. When that happens should an umpire apologize to the team that just lost a game. If so, I'm going into the hanky business.
 
There is a big difference between the perfect game and the situation you just brought up. If MLB reversed the call it would have no effect on the outcome of the game since the Tigers still won, just one batter later. You are, I think sarcastically, suggesting that if they reviewed the game with Squeaky, then that would change the outcome and give Bradley the National Championship. Since it doesn't change the outcome of the game, I really think that MLB should bite the bullet on this one and rule that the call was wrong and award the perfect game.

So now we want to use replay when it can affect the outcome of a game and when it does not affect the outcome of a game? And what of the situation if it had been reversed and/or happened earlier in the game? Does everyone want MLB to step in and take away a "perfect game" at a later date? Reversing calls at a later time just sets a bad precedent in my opinion.
 
So now we want to use replay when it can affect the outcome of a game and when it does not affect the outcome of a game? And what of the situation if it had been reversed and/or happened earlier in the game? Does everyone want MLB to step in and take away a "perfect game" at a later date? Reversing calls at a later time just sets a bad[/B] precedent in my opinion.


But the precedent is there for MLB to reverse decisions that were already in the record books! Take Fay Vincent in 1991 for example. If MLB can take away 50 no-hitters from the record books they can certainly go back and reinstate a perfect game at a later date.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/37479309/ns/sports-baseball/

"In 1991, a panel headed by then-commissioner Fay Vincent took a look at the record book and decided to throw out 50 no-hitters for various reasons. None of them, however, involved changing calls made on the field."
 
I guess my main thing is that I hate to see replay change something after the fact. It's either available for review at the time it happens or it isn't. Don't get me wrong....I love the sport, but baseball is a flawed sport to begin with. The playing field is not a regulated size, the umpires will let a guy score on a fly ball unless it's pointed out by the other team that the runner "cheated" by leaving the base too early (this has never made sense to me), and don't get me going on the people that hate the Yankees because they can afford to "buy" the players they want when it's the rules/governing body of baseball that the hate should really be directed towards.
 
But the precedent is there for MLB to reverse decisions that were already in the record books! Take Fay Vincent in 1991 for example. If MLB can take away 50 no-hitters from the record books they can certainly go back and reinstate a perfect game at a later date.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/37479309/ns/sports-baseball/

"In 1991, a panel headed by then-commissioner Fay Vincent took a look at the record book and decided to throw out 50 no-hitters for various reasons. None of them, however, involved changing calls made on the field."

If none of the 50 involved changing calls made on the field, then it would be setting a precedent if the play at first was reversed.
 
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