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Rays pitcher Matt Garza (age 24) faces a counterpart nearly twice his age (45-year-old Jamie Moyer) as the World Series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3. 8 p.m., Chs. 5, 45
TWT FIVE » WORST CALLS IN WORLD SERIES HISTORY
Kerwin Danley had a memorable night — for all the wrong reasons — as home-plate umpire on Thursday, apparently changing his mind on a called third strike to Rocco Baldelli and failing to award Jimmy Rollins first base after a pitch grazed his jersey. Danley’s performance brings to mind other memorable mistakes by the men in blue in the World Series:
1. Don Denkinger, 1985 — In what’s regarded as one of the worst calls in sports history, Denkinger ruled the Royals’ Jorge Orta safe at first in the ninth inning of Game 6 even though replays showed Cardinals pitcher Todd Worrell clearly beat Orta to the bag. The Royals rally to win 2-1 and trounce St. Louis 11-0 in Game 7 the next day.
2. Drew Coble, 1991 — After the Braves’ Ron Gant singled in the third inning of Game 2 and took a big turn around first, 235-pound Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek put a wrestling-style move on Gant to lift him off the bag and tag him. Coble ruled the takedown legal and called Gant out.
3. Doug Harvey, 1988 — Everybody has seen Kirk Gibson pumping his fist while hobbling around the bases after his walk-off home run for the Dodgers in Game 1. But what many don’t know is that Gibson appeared to step on home plate as Mike Davis stole second earlier in the at-bat, which constitutes batter’s interference. Had Harvey made the call, one of the most famous homers in baseball history would not have happened.
4. Larry Barnett, 1975 — With the score tied at 5-5 in the 10th inning of Game 3, Reds pinch hitter Ed Armbrister laid down a bunt with a runner on first. On his way to first, Armbrister collided with Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk and reached safely, but was not called out for interference. The Reds went on win the game and break Boston fans’ hearts in seven.
5. Bill Stewart, 1948 — In the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 1, the Indians’ Bob Feller appeared to have picked off the Braves’ Phil Masi at second. But Stewart ruled Masi beat shortstop Lou Boudreau’s tag. Masi promptly scored on a single, sending Johnny Sain to a 1-0 win. Photos later showed Masi was out.
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