Worst blown call in sports history

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The tragedy of this one was that replay was widely introduced like a year or two later -- this call would have been trivially overturned and nobody would know or care about the umpire and Galarraga would have his place in history.

It was inevitable but this play was integral in bring replay into live sporting events

 

[ucp990411]

How about the lack of interference call against the Mets in the 1969 World Series. Guy was like 3 feet inside the baseline and no call. Turned the series around. No bigger Oriole fan than me. I remember screaming at the TV. Earl got tossed

 

[nomar]

blown call ....sports related....

The glove didn't fit bro

 

[seeya27]

This is what immediately came to mind.

The Galarraga one is slightly worse, but World Series > perfect game.

This changed the course of a World Series championship. An obviously bad call on top of it.

Given the implications of the call, this Top 1-2 worst ever.

 

[Rico444]

If we expanded it to worst officiating performance, I’d have to submit the infamous Livan game in the 1997 NLCS.

That was just karma for all of the calls the Braves got for Glavine and Maddux throughout the nineties.

 

[Huskybass]

Worst Blown Call: I was thinking Pete Carroll calling a pass play on the goal line, when the Patriots couldn't stop Marshawn Lynch.

 

[ZenConn]

1972 Olympic Basketball between the US and Russia.

 

[Kolumbo]

Legendary

 

[Husky25]

October 17, 1999, this was called an out, and the throw to 1st completed an inning ending double play.

Nomar (.357 league leading BA, 27 HR in '99, .400, 2 HR in the playoffs) would have been up with a man on 2nd, 2 outs, and down by a mere run, in the potential equalizing game.

Instead, Garciaparra led off the bottom of the 9th, down by seven. The call cost the Sox momentum, and probably the game (and series, by extension). To make matters worse for the Red Sox at the time (Though in hindsight Sox fans should be more than satisfied with the majority of the next 23 years have gone.), "Tschida later viewed videotape of the play and saw what millions around the country had seen: Knoblauch's glove missing Offerman's right side by a substantial margin. There was no question. "I didn't make the right call," Tschida acknowledged."

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Legendary

I watched that game in real time I didn’t think it was a handball .
I’ve also reffed and coached soccer for many years.
Even if it was a handball , and the referee wasn’t in position to see it , he can’t call it . Call only what you see is the first commandment of any official. He could ask for help from the linesman but that guy could have been pretty far away and he is concentrating on player position for offside.
Maradona also made one of the greatest runs in World Cup history through the entire English team in that game ,a thing of beauty. That’s my primary memory of that game.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Is there evidence that the Immaculate Reception was a bad call?

Hand of God was, well, very obviously a handball that was impossible to see in real time.

The immaculate reception was controversial because at the time an archaic rule meant to prevent batting the ball to a teammate was still in effect. It was a stupid rule because it’s a nuisance between that and a hook and ladder so it was changed. Frankly the defender committed obvious pass interference on Fuque as he hit him before the ball got there. if called correctly would have resulted ins short Steelers FG for the win without Harris’s heads up play.
Also If the defender touches the ball slightly then the rule is negated that was never clear on slow no replay .
It was clearly caught in the air by Franco.
Oakland winning on a Kenny Stabler intentionally fumble advancing the ball to keep a drive alive was much more tainted. That was bizarre .

 

[Ratso]

Ben simmons/Ja morant

 

[Dean Wormer]

Dave Pallone had so many blown calls and botched plays, they wrote a song about him:

Pallone Again (Naturally)​

(To the tune of Alone Again Naturally)​

Information about the song

In a little while from now
When I call a fair ball foul
I promise myself to eject a coach
For calling me a cow
He'll leave the field in a snit
The player will throw a fit
The other men in blue will say toodle-oo
And leave me out there stewing
Left standing on my own
All alone with people booing
Oh my, oh me, he cannot see
No matter who he's screwing
The fans they yell at me
So I guess I must be
Pallone again, naturally.

To think that only yesterday
Nobody knew I was gay
And I was an ump who enjoyed a rump
Even after I missed a play
But as if to knock me down
Reality comes around
While the players scream from every team
And leave my mind in tatters
Hearing from the fans
In the stands how they detest me
And then the vice cops come around
With a warrant to arrest me
They told me that they heard
My umpiring was absurd
Pallone again, naturally

It seems to me that there are umps with more ability
That weren’t hired
Or they got fired
What do we do
What do we do

Looking back over the years
And whatever else appears
The pitcher that squawked when I called a balk
I had to close my ears
And as I’m growing old
Giamatti, rest his soul
Couldn't understand why another man
Was really what I wanted
Leaving him with thoughts
That the courts would find me guilty
Despite the fact it wasn’t proved
Out of the sport, he kicked me
No longer in the game
I surely must remain
Pallone again naturally
Pallone again... naturally

 

[Palatine]

Batter interference with Pudge Fisk in the 75 world series that wasn't called.

 

[Hi-Low]

The glove didn't fit bro

If the bra doesn't fit you must acquit....

 

[Shamon30]

Anything that went against Earl Weaver

 

[2PointGuards]

The Dez Bryant non-catch in the playoffs.

 

[2PointGuards]

or the Franco Harris Immaculate Reception that was tipped to him by his own man.

 

[nycscooby]

Brady’s tuck. That was a fumble!!

 

[puppygenius]

 

[formerlurker]

 

[Ports21]

2003 Fiesta Bowl pass interference against Miami

 

[Husky25]

Blowing up the BCS AND the Big East because UConn had the unmitigated gaul to play in the Fiesta Bowl in 2011.

 

[Greg]

As we gear up for the chat room and the numerous ref frustrations, what would you submit as the worst call ever made in Sports?

How about submit this gem:

When I read the subject this was my first thought.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

The duck Rule cost the Raiders a potential dynasty and laid the foundation for the Brady Era.