GOOD CALLS - BAD CALLS & I'M SORRYS

GREETINGS FROM SW OKLAHOMA:

OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE HAVE SEEN TONS OF CALLS ON BOTH THE BALL DIAMONDS AND THE SOCCER PITCH, THAT HAVE RANGED FROM HMMMM TO TOTALLY WRONG, BUT RIGHT OR WRONG "INSTANT REPLAY" IS THE WORST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO SPORTS. AERIAL VIEWS GIVE US A TOTALLY DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE ACTION THEN WHAT ANY OFFICIAL ON THE FIELD HAS. NOW WHEN THEY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PUT A CAMERA ON THE PERSON OF EACH UMPIRE IT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT STORY, ALTHOUGH I REALLY DOUBT IT.

NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG, IF AN OFFICIAL MISSES A CALL & REALIZES IT, THEN HE IS FREE TO CHANGE THAT CALL AND ALL IS GOOD, THEN HE JUST GETS BOOED FROM THE OTHER SIDE. IT IS ONE OF THOSE DAMN IF YOU DO AND DAMN IF YOU DON'T THINGS. RAISE CANE ALL YOU WANT IF HE MISS CALL ON A RULE, BUT TO QUESTION WHAT HE SAW IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT KETTLE OF FISH. I'LL TELL YOU FROM FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE, IF YOU HAVE NEVER HAD THE BLUE SHIRT ON, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

NOW TO HAVE OFFICIALS WATCHING REPLAYS FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE OR ONES SHOT FROM ABOVE AND THEN THEM SAYING " I'M SORRY" IS EVEN WORSE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A STORY THAT I FEEL GIVES THE RIGHT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION: "DID YOU MISS THAT CALL?"

IN 1982 THE CITY OF LAWTON, OKLAHOMA WAS HOSTING THE PONY BASEBALL COLT ZONE TOURNAMENT, THE WINNER WOULD ADVANCE TO THE WORLD SERIS.
WE HAD TEAMS FROM ROME, GEORGIA, MIAMI, FLORIDA, THE NATIONAL TEAM FROM OLD MEXICO, BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA, DALLAS TEXAS, AND LAWTON WAS THE HOST TEAM. IN THE SEMI FINAL GAME, LAWTON WAS PLAYING ROME GEORGIA, IT WAS THE BOTTOM OF THE 9TH INNING, THE BASES WERE LOADED, AND THERE WERE 2 OUTS, AND LAWTON WAS BEHIND BY ONE RUN.

RANDY WEBB HIT A SHARP GROUNDER TO THE SECOND BASEMAN, HE BOBBLED THE CATCH JUST A LITTLE THEN MADE THE THROW TO FIRST. THE FIRST BASE UMPIRE CALLED THE RUNNER OUT AND THAT ENDED THE GAME, IT ALSO PUT LAWTON OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT.

IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT A PHOTOGRAPHER FROM THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER WAS STANDING RIGHT AT FIRST AND GOT A PICTURE OF THE ACTION. THE NEXT MORNING IN THE LOCAL PAPER IS A 4 COLOUM PICTURE , WHERE WE SEE THE RUNNER'S FOOT ON THE BAG, THE FIRST BASEMAN'S FOOT ON THE BAG AND THE BALL , IN FLIGHT, ABOUT 6" AWAY FROM THE FIELDER'S GLOVE.

I COULD NOT WAIT FOR THAT UMPIRE TO GET TO THE FIELD THAT NIGHT. WHEN HE ARRIVED I WALKED OVER TO HIS CAR AND SAID " HEY BUGGS, DID YA SEE THE PAPER TODAY?" HE SAID "YEP" THEN I ASK "DID YA SEE THE PICTURE?" AND HE SAID "YEP" THEN I ASK "WHAT DO YOU THINK?" HE STOOD THERE FOR JUST A SECOND THEN ASK" WHAT DOES IT SAY IN THE SCOREBOOK?" I REPLIED "IT SAYS HE WAS OUT." HE REPLIED "THERE YOU GO" THEN SMILED AND WALKED AWAY.

BUGGS BOYDEN HAD 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND WAS THE BEST UMPIRE I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH, AND I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING HE COULD DO TO MAKE ME RESPECT HIM MORE, BUT WITH THAT SIMPLE REPLY, MY RESPECT DOUBLED FOR THE MAN, HE KNEW HE HAD MISSED THE CALL, BUT HE WAS NOT GOING TO BELITTLE THE WORK OF THOUSANDS OF UMPIRES IN AMERICA BY SAYING "OH, I MISSED THAT CALL AND I AM SO SORRY."

THAT'S MY OPINION - WHAT'S YOURS
GUNAQUAT