Congressman Introducing Resolution Pushing Baseball to Award Armando Galarraga Perfect Game After Blown Call

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: In The News ,; Congress

Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga covers first base as Cleveland Indians Jason Donald hits the bag and first base umpire Jim Joyce looks on in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Detroit on Wednesday, June 2, 2010.

(Credit: AP)

Rep. John D. Dingell, Democrat of Michigan, today announced that he plans to introduce a resolution calling on Major League Baseball to reverse its decision not to award Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game.

Galarraga was robbed of a perfect game by a blown call by umpire Jim Joyce with two outs in the ninth inning.

"Jim Joyce missed the call, but because he admitted it, we have a leg to stand on in our case to Major League Baseball," Dingell said in a statement. "Baseball's executives have corrected a mistake on the field in a regular season game before - the pine tar game. This is the right thing to do and if getting this resolution passed makes it easier, I'm glad to help."

Meanwhile, Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, also a Democrat, also called on Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to give Galarraga the "perfect" designation.

"Last night's performance deserves its place in the record books," she said. "It is clear that Commissioner Selig should make an exception in this case and invoke the 'best interests of the game clause' to reflect Armando Galarraga's perfect game for the Detroit Tigers."

A pitcher earns a perfect game if he retires every batter who comes to the plate through nine innings. Galarraga was one out away from the rare exceedingly achievement (though it has happened twice already this season) when Joyce called Cleveland's Jason Donald safe at first base on a ground ball. Replayed clearly showed the runner was out.

"In my eyes, Galarraga is already part of a special and exclusive group - for this has only happened 21 times before in the long history of Major League Baseball," Dingell said today. "In fact, you could argue he's in a class by himself - the only pitcher to face 28 hitters in a perfect game."

Major League Baseball league indicated today it would not reserve the call, according to Associated Press and CBS News sources. Selig did say that the league will review video replay procedures.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also urged Major League Baseball to award the perfect game today. With tongue in cheek, Gibbs said he was speaking with the "full weight of the federal government" in making the appeal.

On Twitter, meanwhile, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm declared a perfect game for Galarraga regardless of baseball's decision. She also issued a proclamation stating that "I, Jennifer M. Granholm, governor of the state of Michigan, do hereby declare Armando Galarraga to have pitched a perfect game, and I join Tigers fans all across the globe in saluting his unassailable accomplishment -- the first perfect game in Tigers history."

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by jfc15009 June 10, 2010 1:35 PM EDT: Where's the peanuts & crackerjacks?; Reply to this comment


by rocketjl June 8, 2010 11:25 AM EDT: Forget it jack. Move on.; Reply to this comment


by lilbear925 June 7, 2010 7:09 PM EDT: Congress has absolutely no business interfering in professional sports. This guy should get a life, do the job he was elected to do and shut up.; Reply to this comment


by Spinnerdon June 4, 2010 3:23 PM EDT: Yes Galarraga definitely deserves his spot in the record book but it is not a political issue. With Michigan having the worst economy of the 50 states, you would think they would find something more constructive to do with the taxpayers time and money.; Reply to this comment


by rockcutr June 4, 2010 9:01 AM EDT: My first thought is to wonder about an ump with the girls name, "Joyce". That just ain't right. Then the other two black shirts not correcting the "girl" ump over on first base. That just ain't right either. It makes me wonder how much money the ump had on the game. Clearly this was a sadistic action on the part of the dude with a girls name.
Enter the politicians. This is an arena were they may not walk. Stay the heck off the field. This is sacred ground.
But, worst of all is Buddy Selig. What a whimp. Backing up like a crawfish in support of clearly a blown call by saying, "we are going to review the instant replay". What a load of horse apples. This dude has done more to hurt baseball than all the botched calls in history. Can we please have another leader. Preferably one with a baseball heart.; Reply to this comment


by Zann-Zel June 3, 2010 5:59 PM EDT: What the heck business does the government have in sports????; Reply to this comment