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From: jmh@ltuxa.UUCP (Jon M. Hanrath)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Bitter end for the Blue Jays
Message-ID: <336@ltuxa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 18-Oct-85 08:40:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: ltuxa.336
Posted: Fri Oct 18 08:40:17 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 19-Oct-85 08:29:31 EDT
References: <16895@watmath.UUCP>
Reply-To: jmh@ltuxa.UUCP (64lt503310-Jon M. Hanrath)
Distribution: net
Organization: Corp Ed. Cen. AT&T Technologies - Lisle, Il
Lines: 40
Summary: 

>
>Brickbats to the umpires, who were chosen on rotation rather than merit.
>I have never seen umpires so disliked by fans when they were introduced.
>Even US biased NBC coverage admitted that the umpires had made several bad
>calls, most of which went against the Jays.  Even last night they called
>a ball fair that had bounced outside the line before first base.  Every fan
>and the TV cameras as well as the batter (who didn't bother running) saw
>the ball.  It was quite amusing when, in the next inning, a KC batter hit
>a ball so foul it it the wall of the stands.  At least a thousand fans all
>stood up and gave the "fair" sign.
>

Sorry, I have to heartily disagree here (though I agreed with the rest of
your posting).  The ball in question bounced foul AFTER first base, not
before.  The call by the first base ump was that the ball went over first
base before bouncing foul.  He CLEARLY made the call, and the batter
(Upshaw I think) should have run out as close a ball regardless of the call.
The replay didn't show clearly one way or another whether the ball was fair 
or foul, but the ump clearly had the best angle on it, and he never
hesitated in the call.  I would blame Upshaw for assuming too much and
making the big deal over it.  Also I think Mulliniks was on 2nd at the time
and ran to third (at least he was awake).  The replays showed Mulliniks
getting upset with the call, when it's obvious he had NO angle to see the
play.  So I think the heat of the moment was upon the Jays and the Jay
fans.

I was pulling for the Jays, too (though I like KC also), but I firmly
believe that the umps were given bad press.  The replays on Moseby's
non-catch for example, I think it looks like he DID NOT make the catch,
but the replay is very unclear.  If sportscasters and fans alike can't
decide after watching 20 angles on slow-mo replays, then I say we should
let the umps split second decision stand.  All in all I think the umps
make an unbelievable amount of correct calls.

Anyway , the Jays will be back.  Here's to a good WS.


Jon Hanrath