Perfect Ending

To this day, there have only been twenty perfect games ever recorded in the history of major league baseball. So rare a feat, more men have orbited the moon than experienced the euphoria of a perfect game. Yet, a week ago due to one man's decision another man was deprived of his place in history.

Before Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010, few of us had ever heard of 28 year old, Detroit Tigers pitcher, Armando Galarraga. Now he is a hero of sorts. He was pitching a perfect game against the Cleveland Indians and only needed one more out when first base umpire, Jim Joyce, blew the game-ending call. A melee ensued and angry Tiger players and coaches argued to no avail. For one night it seemed as if injustice had prevailed and one man's chance for immortality had been stolen from him. So, why a week later has the fervor relinquished. The answer lies in the word character.

After viewing the replay, Joyce admitted he had missed the call, yet on the next day, June 3, 2010, he chose to meet his fate head on. He was offered the opportunity to take the day off, but declined, even though he hadn't slept and there were personal threats made against him. Like a true man he chose to umpire the game anyway. His character later would be rewarded.

Fortunately, Galarraga, who had every right to begrudge Joyce for his indiscretion refused to do so. Instead, the next day Galarraga performed a time honored tradition and took the lineup card out to the umpire, Joyce, before the game, as an act of compassion and true character. There stood Galarraga next to the man who inadvertantly robbed him of baseball immortality. The gesture brought tears to the umpire’s eyes. Then the two hit each other on the shoulders, as only men can do, and went about their business.

Say what you want about sports, but for a brief moment I learned something about character, it is more important than money or the title of being called perfect. These two men showed me this: admit when you are wrong and be gracious in defeat. Perhaps, no one personifies this better in sports than the legendary college basketball coach, John Wooden, who once said, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

This is a lesson I will not soon forget and perhaps, on June 3rd, 2010, we did witness something perfect after all.

Swavel