A Sad - and Magnificent Day for Baseball

A Sad - and Magnificent Day for Baseball

I am not a huge baseball fan.  I never have been, even though my husband and children are fanatic about the sport.  I have always preferred football and basketball – sports that don’t involve so much standing around, scratching and spitting on national television.  None-the-less, this week die-hard baseball fans and casual followers of the game had an opportunity to see High Road thinking played out on the diamond when Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was denied what should have been only the 21st perfect game in baseball history.  Umpire Jim Joyce blew the critical call at first base, calling the runner safe when he was clearly out. 

The fans were in an uproar.  The Tigers’ manager, Jim Leland stormed the field to protest the call.  His teammates were outraged.  And yet what stands out in that moment of chaos is Galarraga’s response to having his place in the history books yanked out from under him.  With grace, professionalism, a wry smile and remarkable cool he climbed right back up on the mound.  The game was not over yet – he still had to get the final out.  What happens to you in your life is not as important as how you choose to respond to what happens to you in your life.  Galarraga’s response was the ultimate example of the High Road in action.

The astonishing thing is that it didn’t end there.

After the game, Joyce reviewed the play in the clubhouse and came to the conclusion that he had clearly been wrong.  Then… he admitted it – publicly.  To the press he said, “No, I did not get the call correct.  I absolutely missed the call.  I just cost that kid a perfect game.  I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay."  He went on to comment about the verbal beating he took from the team and the fans after the next play which ended the game. "I don't blame them a bit for anything that was said," Joyce said. "I would've said it myself.  If I had been Galarraga, I would've been the first person in my face, and he never said a word to me."  Joyce then asked to see Galarraga in the locker room and apologized to him.

Speaking to the Venezuelan press later, the pitcher showed only empathy for the umpire. "He really feel bad. He probably feel more bad than me.  Nobody's perfect, everybody's human. I understand. I give a lot of credit to the guy saying, 'Hey, I need to talk to you because I really say I'm sorry.' That don't happen. You don't see an umpire after the game say 'I'm sorry.[sic]'"

During the post-game press conferences, Jim Leland showed his High Road mentality saying, “This is, without question, one of the best umpires in the game.  I think how Jim Joyce handled it was key.  The guy was a shambles.  My heart goes out to him.  Obviously, it was a mistake.  It was a perfect game.  It's a shame for both of them – but I'm telling you he is the best baseball has, and a great guy.  It's just a shame.”

A day later the series between the two teams continued and the Detroit Tiger fans stepped up to join Galarraga, Joyce and Leland on the High Road.  Whereas it might have been expected for the fans to boo and razz the umpire as he was introduced for the final game against the Indians, they showed the better side of baseball fandom and gave Joyce a standing ovation for having admitted that he was wrong.

Galarraga was the one assigned to bring the batting line-up out to the umpire and the two had a very private moment that America was given the opportunity to watch – one that brought the veteran umpire to tears.  “I can not believe the outpouring of support I’ve gotten,” he said.  “This is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through in my professional career – without a doubt.” 

In the midst of so much bad behavior and so few role models in professional sports these days, it is profoundly refreshing to see such sportsmanship exhibited by all parties involved in this unfortunate mishap. 

It is almost enough to make me watch baseball on a regular basis…almost.