Sometimes Christians can learn from the world.

I learned from Armando Galarraga today. 

If you don’t follow sports, here’s what happened...

Galarraga is a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.  He had been in Triple A for most of the season because he had been pitching poorly.  He was called up to the Tigers a couple weeks ago and had started twice in the last few weeks.

Last night, he pitched the game of his career.  A pitcher has to record 27 outs to complete a game.  Most games, there are a lot more batters than 27 because there are hits and walks.  For a pitcher to complete a game without the manager bringing in a new pitcher in the late innings is not typical.  A great pitcher may have two or three complete games in a season and usually the other team scores at least a few runs during even a well pitched game.

Last night, Armando pitched a perfect game...  almost.

26 batters came to the plate and made outs.  He had come to the last batter for the Cleveland Indians, young Jason Donald.

Donald hit a slow roller to the right side of the infield.  The Tigers 1st baseman fielded the ball, turned and threw to Galarraga who was now covering first base.  The throw beat the runner by a step.

GAME OVER!!!  PERFECT GAME!!!

Not quite.

First Base Umpire, Jim Joyce hesitated, then called Donald safe.

The Perfect Game was over.

By the way, Perfect Games don’t happen in Major League Baseball very often.  20 to be exact.  There were zero in the entire decade of the 1970’s. 

I’ve had the privilege of watching two different Tigers pitch “no-hitters”. (A no-hitter is slightly less of an achievement.  A pitcher can walk batters during a no-hitter) I watched Jack Morris pitch a perfect game with my dad in 1984.  I also watched Justin Verlander pitch a no-hitter in 2007.  I stood in my living room for the last three innings of that game and my wife called me stupid.  I’m obviously not stupid because he completed the no-hitter and me standing was important.

I’ve never watched a Tiger pitch a perfect game, not because I missed it, but because it’s never happened.

I’ve been a Tigers fan since 1983.

PASTOR’S JOURNAL,  JUNE 3, 2010

Last night, The umpire, Jim Joyce cheated Armando Galarraga out of a perfect game.

Tigers players were livid, fans were livid, the Cleveland Indians TV announcers were stunned, three Michigan politicians called for the government to pass a bill to overturn the game.  (I’m not making that up either!)

Talk radio was buzzing today and not about the first game of the NBA Finals tonight between two storied franchises, the Lakers and the Celtics, but because of the blown perfect game call.

Humans hate injustice.

After the game, Jim Joyce saw the replay and immediately realized his error.  He had enough character to walk the long walk to the Tiger’s clubhouse and face Galarraga.  Can you imagine how long that walk must have felt?

Galarraga accepted his apology and forgave him.  He said Joyce was weeping.  He said the umpire probably felt worse than he did as the player.

As a fan, I have to be honest.  That still didn’t do it for me.  I was looking for retribution! 

As fate would have it, Joyce was the umpire behind the plate today...  in Detroit.

Jim Leyland, one of the classiest chain smoking managers in baseball did one of the best things I’ve ever seen in sports.

He sent Armando Galarraga to home plate to meet Jim Joyce with the lineup card for today’s game.  Right there, in front of all the Detroit fans Armando and Jim hugged.  Jim Joyce wept.  Galarraga received a standing ovation as he walked off the field.

Less than 14 hours earlier, Jim Joyce had stolen Armando Galarraga’s place in history.

But did he?

Galarraga’s place in history will be written this way:

The guy who got completely hosed, but acted with complete character.

What do we do when we are served with injustice?

Most of us want punishment, justice, a pound of flesh.

Maybe we can learn from this player who turned the other cheek and readily gave forgiveness.

Armando’s character will be remembered far longer than his perfect game would have.

That’ll teach.

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