Despite last night’s obvious and admitted blown umpire’s call that cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galaragga the last out of what would have been a perfect game, the aftermath exemplified PCA's principle of Honoring the Game.
Instead of losing his cool and flipping out on the umpire, Galaragga smiled and went about his business. Instead of focusing on what he could no longer control, Galaragga, like all Triple-Impact Competitors, prepared for the next play. He executed it flawlessly, retiring the next batter and recording the complete game, one-hitter (his first complete game and shutout of his career).
If, in a moment like this, Galaragga can keep his cool and show class, then youth sports parents, coaches and athletes can do the same during their own games.
In true Triple-Impact Competitor style, Galaragga improved himself (by rising above the umpire's call), his teammates (by calmly finishing the game even as some of them continued howling over the call), and the game (by providing youth players, parents and coaches a great example that we expect to see emulated throughout youth sports).
Post-game, umpire Jim Joyce also Honored the Game by personally apologizing to Galaragga and owning up to the blown call, without excuses, in media interviews. In Galaragga’s post-game interviews, he continued to shine, saying he knows “nobody’s perfect.”
The more youth sports participants remember this about each other, the better off we’ll be.
--Jason Sacks, PCA Director of Partner Development
To share your views, click the Comments link below.
Posted by David Jacobson at 06/03/2010 12:19:29 PM |
I cant say the same for the attitudes and reactions of the first base coach and manager.....
Posted by: Paul ( Email: ) at 6/3/2010 3:38 PM
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I have to admit that seeing the replay of what happened reminded me very much of Don Denkinger in the 1985 World Series. The best thing that Galarraga could do was to retire the next batter instead of the reaction that most of us likely had. The reaction of anger and frustration also sends a signal of giving up as though the rest of the game is not worth playing to our best efforts.
Galarraga's response was to calmly retire the next hitter. A lot of people found out who this pitcher was; this pitcher's response to the situation will help those people remember him a long time.
Posted by: Michael ( Email: ) at 6/3/2010 5:58 PM
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Errare Humanum Est. There are three teams on the field, the two competitors and the officials. All of them make mistakes. We expect excellence from two but perfection from the third. Is that balanced? When we do that we are doomed to be disappointed.
The mistake did not influence the outcome of the game. Perhaps the only people who might benefit from the call for instant replay might be those that have bet on one or the other of the competing teams.
Certainly Mr. Galarraga knows that he pitched a "perfect game" in an imperfect world. Does he really need to have it inscribed in a book of statistics? Given the recent disclosures about certain NBA officials, isn't it refreshing to have a story about an honest human error and worthy responses by the priciples in the drama? This is reality TV worth watching...and to model.
Posted by: James D. Johnson ( Email: | Visit ) at 6/4/2010 2:26 PM
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