No. 2010.06.02 · Wild Card Era
Galarraga's Imperfect Game
Armando Galarraga was one out from a perfect game when Jim Joyce called Jason Donald safe. Joyce saw the replay, and said he had missed it.
Armando Galarraga pitching for Detroit on July 25, 2010, seven weeks after the game in this entry.
Arbitrarily0, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Jim Joyce, umpiring on April 6, 2011, the season after the call at first base.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from a larger photograph.
The first base from the June 2, 2010 game, on display. This is the base from the play, not a photograph of the call.
Mdb1370, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
June 2, 2010, Comerica Park. Armando Galarraga had retired the first 26 Cleveland hitters. Jason Donald grounded to first. Miguel Cabrera fielded it and threw to Galarraga covering the bag. Donald was out, plainly, on the replay everyone in the park could see a moment later. Joyce, umpiring at first, called him safe.
Galarraga smiled, took the ball back, and got the next batter. Detroit won the game. Joyce watched the replay in the umpires' room and came out in tears. He said he had blown the call and that he had cost the kid a perfect game. The next afternoon Galarraga carried the lineup card to the plate and the two men embraced. Commissioner Bud Selig did not overturn the out. A perfect game is a historical category with a definition, and the definition still said Donald had reached.
The missed call is why the game is in a catalog of blunders. The apology, and the way it was received, are why the entry cannot stop at the call. Joyce did not hide from the replay. Galarraga did not make him.
Film
Armando Galarraga's near-perfecto
Jason Donald is called safe at first by Jim Joyce with two outs in the ninth, ending Galarraga's perfect game.
Watch on MLB.comRelated entries
No. 1959.05.26
1959
Twelve Perfect Innings
Harvey Haddix retired 36 batters in a row and lost in the thirteenth. Joe Adcock's ball cleared the fence, and the next day the league president made it a double.
Pittsburgh Pirates · Milwaukee Braves
No. 1990.07.01
1990
Hawkins Loses a No-Hitter
Andy Hawkins allowed no hits and lost, 4–0, on three errors in the eighth. A year later baseball decided eight innings was not a no-hitter.
New York Yankees · Chicago White Sox
The Pine Tar Game
George Brett's go-ahead homer was taken off the board because there was too much pine tar on the bat. The league president put the homer back.
Kansas City Royals · New York Yankees