AP
Umpires are human beings and make mistakes. When it happens in October, the blunder is magnified. First base umpire Tom Hallion made a bad call that went against the Phillies in Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday night. Carl Crawford laid down a drag bunt up the first-base line. Philllies pitcher Jamie Moyer made a terrific play to get the ball and flipped it out of his glove to Ryan Howard, who caught it with his bare hand before Crawford reached the base. Hallion called Crawford safe and the Rays went on to score two runs in the seventh inning and added a run in the eighth to tie it.
But in the end, Hallion's blown call meant little when the Phillies scored a run in the ninth to beat the Rays 5-4.
Here are five other controversial calls in the World Series history.
5. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda was literally spitting mad as he protested a call that went against his team in Game 4 of the 1978 World Series. Reggie Jackson was in the middle of the game-changing play, one that quite possibly changed the series. The Dodgers had a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning and the Yankees had runners on first and second when Lou Piniella hit a line drive at Los Angeles shortstop Bill Russell. Russell dropped the ball, picked it up and stepped on second for the force out. He attempted to turn the double play with a throw to first, but the ball wound up in right field when Jackson, standing in the base line, appeared to stick his hip out to deflect the throw. A run scored on the play and the Yankees tied it with a run in the eighth before winning it in the 10th on Piniella's RBI single to even the series at 2-2.
4. Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk's home run in the 12th inning was the signature moment of the 1975 World Series, one of the greatest Fall Classics. Fisk was also involved in a pivotal play that helped the Reds win Game 3. Cincinnati's Cesar Geronimo led off the 10th inning with a single when pinch hitter Ed Armbrister dropped a bunt that bounced high in front of the plate. As Fisk reached up to field the ball, he collided with Armbrister and made a wild throw to second trying to get Geronimo. Red Sox manager Darrell Johnson protested to plate umpire Larry Barnett that Armbrister should have been called out for interfering with Fisk and Geronimo should return to first. But Fisk was charged with an error. Minutes later, Joe Morgan's single scored Geronimo to give the Reds a 6-5 victory. Red Sox fans never forgave or forgot Barnett's call, booing him whenever he was at Fenway Park until his retirement in 1999.
3. Plate umpire Ken Burkhart did what umpires are instructed to do -- make a call even if you're unsure. And that is exactly what Burkhart did, despite never seeing the close play at home in Game 1 of the 1970 World Series between the Orioles and Reds. Cincinnati's Ty Cline hit a chopper in front of the plate with Bernie Carbo on third. As Carbo ran down the line, Burkhart went to position himself in front of the plate and got in the way of Orioles catcher Elrod Hendricks. Burkhart was knocked down and had his back to the play when Hendricks tagged Carbo with his glove. Burkhart turned around, saw that Hendricks had the ball and called Carbo out. But Hendricks had the ball in his bare hand when he tagged Carbo with his glove. The Orioles maintained the lead 4-3 and won by the same score.
2. In Game 1 of the 1955 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers, Jackie Robinson stole home in the eighth inning. Whitey Ford's pitch reached the plate before Robinson and catcher Yogi Berra appeared to apply the tag. But umpire Bill Summers called Robinson safe. The mild-mannered Berra was anything but as he protested vehemently. The Yankees wound up winning 6-5 but lost the Series in seven games.
1. A blown call by first base umpire Don Denkinger very well may have cost the St. Louis Cardinals the 1985 World Series. And it wasn't even close. Royals pinch hitter Jorge Orta, leading off the ninth with Kansas City 1-0, hit a slow grounder up the line and was clearly out as first baseman Jack Clark fielded the ball and flipped it to pitcher Todd Worrell. However, Denkinger ruled Orta safe. Later in the inning, the Royals got another break on a passed ball by Cardinals catcher Darrell Porter, allowing the potential tying and winning runs to move into scoring position. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, pinch hitter Dane Iorg delivered a two-run, game-winning single with two outs, forcing an anti-climatic seventh game that Kansas City 11-0.
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Comments (30) Add A Comment
Why are people complaing about #5?! It didnt affect the game! Phillies won! the call didnt make a difference.
Once again, it shows how intelligent SI writers are.
Gu3: NOO! R.I.P Air…
Parkville, MD
Total Comments (36547)
how did it not effect the game? You should know that all manager decisions are based up the score and how many innings. That's true for the winning and losing manager.
Bill Zooloo
Ventura, CA
Total Comments (2)
It absolutely affected the game. How is it that runs scored due to a blown call doesnt affect the game?
It irked the Phillies. The game was tied in the ninth when it shouldn't have been tied.
What blows my mind, and shows the writers didnt think about this story much was that the called strike + ball on...I think Upton...that allowed him to go to first though he FULLY SWUNG and missed the ball entirely...
THAT was the worse of the two and should be there instead.
Saihung
Smyrna , DE
Total Comments (445)
Did the Phillies win? Yes, the did. So it didnt change the outcome of the game.
Gu3: NOO! R.I.P Air…
Parkville, MD
Total Comments (36547)
i agree, thats just stupid to complain about...
OM= The Franchise
San Jose, CA
Total Comments (974)
Did it change the outcome of the game. No. But it still shows why instant replay should be instituted in baseball. Maybe only 3 uses per side per game. As luck would have it, the blown call didn't mess up the game. but the point still remains. It's a screwed up call.
MThorin
Saint Cloud , MN
Total Comments (2)
of course it didn't change the Outcome...but it changed the game. The score should have never been tied. And anyone who has ever played sports knows that shyte like that can change your mindset in a heartbeat....
Sometimes it's hard to shake off things when the umps or refs are constantly screwing up.
~Trixi~
Total Comments (10313)
I don't agree with instant replay unless its used at the plate...and not even fully then.
baseball is one of the few sports that have a human error element to it. And as much as that call pissed me off, it's one of the reasons why I love the sport.
I know no one agrees with me, but that's ok. :)
~Trixi~
Total Comments (10313)
Oh come on. Kent Hrbek pulled Ron Gant off of first base in game 2 of the 1991 World Series, and Gant was called out. The Twins went on to win that game too. Why isn't that one in here? Umpire Drew Coble got death threats for years for one, as did Hrbek. Even the announcers, JackBuck and Tim McCarver were in the booth saying that Gant was pulled off the bag.
baroncoop
Scott Air Force Base , IL
Total Comments (1)
How can you forget the shoe polish fiasco in the 1969 Series? Jerry Koosman later admitted that Gil Hodges told him to put his own polish on the ball to try to trick the umpire, and it worked!
Tom Mullen
Total Comments (11)
How about the Triple Play that wasn't in 1992? Didn't affect the game or series; but it did take away a nice piece of history for the Blue Jays.
Spo
Total Comments (131)
SPAM X4.............looks like the refs in football are feeling better these days.
Circus Maximus
Total Comments (1253)
It's absurd to even TRY and claim it didn't change the game. Guys got stats they never should have had! Runs scored, RBI, plate appearances. Of course it changed the game.
Ridiculous ... a bush league call on the world's biggest stage.
IanIJM01
Colmar, PA
Total Comments (47)
I agree 100%.
I don't get what's so controversial about #1 and #2. If you're gonna put a controversial call into a blog, at least explain why it's controversial. Don't just assume that we all saw it. That's what we call being lazy.
wtnelson = Big Chief
Fort Collins , CO
Total Comments (3520)
Hey Jughead, the writer is not complaining about the call. He wrote about controversial calls, and this one was controversial, as it was shown to be a blown call. The fact that the Phillies won does not change that fact. A controversial call does not mean that the team has to lose because of it. It certainly affected the game. Once again you prove how intelligent most posters are.
doghockey
Total Comments (136)
Nothing will ever top the St. Louis/K.C. blown call. That was the series and that cost the Cardinals another ring!!!
ISU cardinals
Osseo , MN
Total Comments (2)
You guys gonna complained about that "double play" now?
Gu3: NOO! R.I.P Air…
Parkville, MD
Total Comments (36547)
complain*
Gu3: NOO! R.I.P Air…
Parkville, MD
Total Comments (36547)
i don't think it's any big to complain about the phillies call. it was anyone's game at that point.
King Mike
Saddle River , NJ
Total Comments (56)
Bad officiating or not, it's been an exciting Series, GO PHILLIES!!!
Temples of Syrinx
Total Comments (4689)
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