Sports: from time to time

This last week saw some Moments in Sports. 

1.  The Passing of Coach Wooden at the age of 99.  --- All Sports lost a Spokesman of Sportsmanship when he passed.  Coach Wooden will be missed not just by the Los Angeles community but all of Sports.

2 and 3 happened on the same day.

2.  Ken Griffey Jr. retired and has put an end to a fabulous career that will assuredly put him into the Hall of Fame if not on his first eligible ballot definitely the second.

3.  The Perfect Game that wasn't, It was much, Much More!!!!!

Involved a Pitcher and an Umpire.  Pitcher Armando Galarraga and Umpire Jim Joyce played a part in sports history that Will remain a Mistake of a lifetime that pays positive dividends for all Athletes that pay attention to the reactions of the key players. 
(Athletes includes all officials of games due to the fact they have to be in shape as well in order to keep up with the game.)

If you have no clue as to what I am referring to here, Armando Galarraga came about .5 of second and 2 feet from giving Baseball its very first Season with more than 2 perfect games and should have.  Jim Joyce was Umpire on first and it came down to a tight call.  A Call that would forever mark himself and Armando Galarraga in the History books.  (Having called games in the past I for one can tell you that split second call at 1st Base will go to the runner 99 out of 100 times.  With the importance of the call and the situation of  "A Perfect Game" on the line that's when the defender gets the benefit of a tie.)  The moment the call went the wrong way a young man and a man, who has been a part of the game since I was still in school, took the stage on How to be Gracious and Compassionate in sports. 

Pitcher Armando Galarraga had/has every right to feel robbed of a feat that has only been accomplished 21 or 22 times in the history of Baseball.  Umpire Jim Joyce does feel bad because he took that away from the "kid".  Both of them could have defended their positions and been just plain nasty with each other, but they didn't!  For Armando Galarraga, he took the high road and came right out and said something similar to He is Human, we all make mistakes.  Umpire Jim Joyce could have just folded and never called again (glad he didn't) and not said anything to anyone.  Jim Joyce, once he saw his error went and apologized to the young man and his coach for the error.

In my opinion both men showed a level of Sportsmanship beyond anything we see in sports regularly.  I wish we saw that level of understanding in everyday life.  These two men set an example that should be followed not just in sports but in everyday dealings with others. 

So if these two Gentlemen ever see this:  Thank you Both for setting a Superior example of Sportsmanship and Compassion for your fellow man, that all should follow!