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Glam Monitor

What umpire blew the perfect game?

Author

Ava Wright

Updated on August 29, 2026

"I don't want to be known as Jim Joyce, the guy that blew the perfect game. But I think that's inevitable." Why? "Because I'm Jim Joyce," he says, "the umpire who blew the perfect game."

Who ruined the perfect game?

Ex-Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga wants MLB to recognize 2010 perfect game, overturn blown call. Back on June 2, 2010, Tigers starting pitcher Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game. He retired the first 27 batters he faced.

Is Jim Joyce still umpiring?

Though his umpiring was generally praised by players and coaches, Joyce is best known for his incorrect call in Armando Galarraga's near-perfect game in June 2010. He retired on January 16, 2017.

Did Armando Galarraga get the perfect game?

It's one of the most infamous mistakes in sports history. Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was denied a perfect game in 2010 when an umpire erroneously ruled that the 27th batter, with two outs in the ninth inning, had beaten a throw to first base.

Has any Detroit Tiger ever pitched a perfect game?

A perfect game, a special subcategory of no-hitter, has yet to be thrown in Tigers history.

39 related questions found

How much does an MLB umpire make?

Professional baseball umpires don't make quite as much as the MLB player minimum salary, but they're still well off financially. According to Career Trend, the starting rookie umpire salary is $150,000 and the more experienced umpires and senior umpires (like Joe West) rake in as much as $450,000 per year.

Why didn't means get a perfect game?

The lone baserunner that Means allowed was a wild-pitch strikeout in the third inning of Sam Haggerty, and moments later, Haggerty was caught stealing. The very definition of a perfect game is allowing zero baserunners, so Means didn't earn the perfect game.

What is the average age of a Major League Baseball umpire?

The average age of an employed Baseball Umpire is 31 years old. The most common ethnicity of Baseball Umpires is White (77.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (9.2%) and Black or African American (6.0%).

Are there any umpires in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

They are the members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame – 306 of the game's most influential and successful heroes. But within Club 306 lies a subset even more unique: The ten umpires enshrined in Cooperstown.

What did Jim Leyland say to Jim Joyce?

"Jimmy!" Leyland barks. "You blew it! You blew it, go look at the video!" Boos cascade from the stands as Joyce walks back to the umpires' locker room, telling himself over and over that he hopes he got the call right.

Is Armando Galarraga related to Andres Galarraga?

Ex-first baseman Andres Galarraga, no relation, was "The Big Cat." Armando is younger and somehow smaller.

How did John Means lose the perfect game?

No pitcher in major league history got closer to perfection — without being perfect — than Orioles' left-hander John Means did Wednesday. Means pitched a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners but lost a potential perfect game in the third inning when he threw a wild pitch to Sam Haggerty on a strikeout.

Did the Orioles pitcher throw a perfect game?

No perfect games, a special subcategory of no-hitter, have been thrown in Orioles history. As defined by Major League Baseball, "in a perfect game, no batter reaches any base during the course of the game."

Has Clayton Kershaw thrown a perfect game?

Kershaw, 34, became the second player in major league history to complete at least seven innings and get removed with a perfect game still intact. The other was his former teammate, Rich Hill, who suffered the same fate after throwing 89 pitches through seven innings against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 10, 2016.

Do Llws umpires get paid?

All of them must have umpired at each rung below the World Series — district tournaments, state tournaments, regional tournaments. They are volunteers, even during the World Series. They get some expenses paid, and a fresh uniform, but no paycheck.

Has a MLB player ever hit an umpire?

Delmon Young Flips Bat at Home Plate Umpire

The bat ended up striking the umpire. Fortunately, the umpire wasn't injured, but it was the first time in baseball history that any player had struck an umpire with a bat.

How hard is it to become an MLB umpire?

The MLB ump requirements aren't too steep, but competition for these jobs is fierce. You'll need to enroll in a professional umpire school, to become prepared. If you do make it to the Major Leagues, expect a starting salary of around $140,000 a year.

Do MLB umpires fly first class?

They take part in overtime hours during spring training and postseason training. Besides their salaries, MLB umpires also receive significant benefits. According to the MLB, umpires: Fly first class.

Who is the youngest umpire in MLB?

At a remarkable 22 years of age, Evans became the youngest umpire in major league history and began a 22-year career in which he worked six World Series.

Who ruined the Tigers perfect game?

It was terrible timing and made for a cruel ending — Joyce's bad call with two outs in the top of the ninth inning ruined the 21st perfect game in baseball history, which should have been thrown by Tigers' right-hander Armando Galarraga.

Who has thrown no-hitters for the Detroit Tigers?

George Mullin threw the Tigers' first no-hitter in 1912, and there was a 40-year gap before Virgil Trucks threw his two in the 1950s. Jim Bunning and Jack Morris threw one each before Justin Verlander threw his two, and Spencer Turnbull added one in 2021.