Sports
By Zak Kozuchowski
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February 23, 2011
My favorite moment of last year's Major League Baseball season was when Detroit Tigers fans gave umpire Jim Joyce a standing ovation a day after his blown call robbed Tigers' pitcher Armando Galarraga of a perfect game.
Galarraga had retired 26 consecutive Cleveland Indians batters last June and needed one more to notch perfection, something only 20 pitchers in MLB history had accomplished.
When Galarraga stepped on first base on the next play, a full step ahead of the runner, he and the almost 18,000 fans at Comerica Park thought he had become the 21st pitcher to record a perfect game, but Joyce called the runner safe.
"It was probably the most important call of my career and I missed it," Joyce said after the game.
Joyce and Tigers fans spent the time after the game lamenting the call, but the next day Detroit fans did what they do best -- they forgave him.