Junior Will Dean umpires a youth baseball game. Sports officials do not receive the credit that they deserve. Photo Credit: ROBYN BONFIGLIO
BY KEVIN KOPLIN
Referees have gone hand in hand with sports since their beginnings. Without the rules and officials to enforce them, sports wouldn’t work. From making quick decisions that change the outcome of a game, to making sure everything is in order, officials do not get the credit they deserve for the importance of their jobs. Whether it’s game seven of the World Series or a youth league basketball game, it’s the job of the officials to make the right calls.
Being in the position to change a game in the blink of an eye can be overwhelming for some. The ability to recognize a play the second it happens is crucial to the job of a referee, and acting on that first impulse is how calls are made.
After playing sports throughout his childhood, the transition from player to official was easy for junior Will Dean. Through personal experience, watching games on TV, and an officiating class, Dean is prepared for every game and any possible situation. When presented with a close call, he refers to his training and instinct to make it.
“Looking over, they may have been wrong,” Dean said. “But in my eyes I made the right call.”
Even with advancements in technology, the one thing that remains constant is human error. People make mistakes, and unfortunately sometimes the wrong call is made. Most professional sports are incorporating instant replay to make sure the right call is made. In the NFL, if a coach is uncertain of a ruling, they have the option to challenge the play. Using the replay system, officials take their time and determine the proper ruling.
That’s not the case in every sport, though. In baseball, people are hesitant about incorporating instant replay and would rather keep America’s pastime as it is and always has been; standing by an umpire’s call and sticking with it. Just last year, former Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was one out away from becoming the 21st person in history to pitch a perfect game. In the final inning, with two outs left, a Cleveland Indians player hit a ground ball, and he seemed to have been thrown out at first base, but the umpire called the player safe, thus ending Galarraga’s chance at the astonishing feat. Upon further review, it could clearly be seen that the runner was in fact out, but since he was called safe by the umpire Jim Joyce, the ruling stood. This incident caused an uproar in the sports community with critics calling to have the play reviewed and give Galarraga credit for his performance. However, those are the rules and Joyce called him out.
“Of course he made the wrong call,” Dean said. “But there isn’t anything that he could have done after it happened. You just need to learn from your mistakes.”
Not only do officials have to make these quick calls, but they have to deal with their repercussions. Coaches and parents don’t always agree with the calls made and they do get vocal about it. It’s unfortunate that officials take the blame when a team loses. They are the scapegoats of players, fans, and sometimes coaches. Someone will always be upset with the decision of the referee, and it’s the referee’s job to shut that out and make sure the game is played properly.
This past NFL season, when the Pittsburgh Steelers played against the Miami Dolphins, another controversial call was the talk of the game. The Steelers won 23-22, and the game ended on what many would say was a bad call. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger fumbled the ball in the end zone, which appeared to be recovered by Miami. The officials, on the other hand, determined that it would remain Pittsburgh’s ball. The Steelers then kicked the game winning field goal. Pittsburgh went on to make it to the Super Bowl while the Dolphins failed to make the playoffs. One call can definitely change a game, and potentially even a season.
Although there are some instances of poor officiating, there are certainly more examples of good calls that show that referees maintain a positive balance in sports.
“Umpiring has given me a whole new perspective of the game,” Dean said. “It has taught me to appreciate all aspects of it.”
