| Bob Davidson (umpire) |
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Information AboutBob Davidson (umpire) |
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He officiated in the 1992 World Series , as well as the National League Championship Series in 1988 , 1991 and 1996 . He also worked in the National League Division Series in 1995 and 1998 , and in the 1987 and 1993 All-Star Games . Davidson resigned from the NL staff in 1999 as part of a (failed) mass resignation during labour negotiations. After his resignation, he continued to work in minor league baseball, including the A-level Midwest League . In December 2004, he and fellow resignees Tom Hallion and Ed Hickox were rehired by Major League Baseball, which had combined the league staffs in the interim. However, he is best known for his work as an umpire during the 2006 World Baseball Classic , when he incorrectly ruled on a pair of critical calls, both in favor of the United States Team . Thus, he was nicknamed the "Patriotic Ump" by the medias from other countries. WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC UMPIRING CONTROVERSY Japan vs. the United States In the top of the eighth inning of a second-round game, with score tied at 3-3, Japan was at bat. With Tsuyoshi Nishioka at third base and Akinori Iwamura at the bat against American pitcher Joe Nathan , the Japanese seemed to be in a good position to break the deadlock. Iwamura hit a pop fly to left field, which was easily fielded by American fielder Randy Winn . As soon as Winn caught the ball, Nishioka started from third base, attempting to score and make the play a Sacrifice Fly . Winn threw home but could not catch Nishioka, and second-base umpire Brian Knight ruled that Nishioka was safe. This caused consternation in the American dugout. Manager Buck Martinez argued the call, saying that Nishioka had left third base before Winn caught the ball, in which event Nishioka would have been out. The third base umpire, who would normally have been in the best position to judge Nishioka's position, was out in left field monitoring Winn's catch, so it was Knight and Davidson who had the best view of the play from an umpiring perspective. Davidson met with the other umpires and, after deliberation, ruled Nishioka out. Traditionally, the home plate umpire has final call on such calls, so Davidson was not overstepping his bounds in disallowing Knight's call. Although video replay clearly showed that Nishioka properly tagged up at third base, baseball umpires do not have access to instant replay and it is against the rules to watch a replay on the in-stadium video screen. Moreover, Nishioka began moving his upper body to sprint home before lifting his foot off the bag, which may have confused Davidson. Japan ended up losing the game by one run on an Alex Rodriguez double in the bottom of the ninth inning, although the call may not have cost Japan the game as Rodriguez's double would likely have scored two runs, but scoring in baseball stops when the winning run crosses the plate. In the big picture, the game has no effect, as Japan ended up advancing to the tournament final. Mexico vs. the United States In the bottom of the third inning of a second-round game between Mexico and the United States, Mexican outfielder Mario Valenzuela hit what appeared to be a home run off of American pitcher Roger Clemens , off the foul pole in right field. In the Rules Of Baseball , a ball hit off the foul pole is a home run, and the ball appeared to strike about two metres up the pole. Moreover, it hit the pole hard enough that some of the pole's yellow paint was visible on the ball. However, Davidson, this time serving as first base umpire, ruled that the ball had remained in play and that Valenzuela had only hit a double. This call would be correct if the ball bounced off the wall rather than the foul pole, but the ball hit far enough up the pole that many fans thought there should be no doubt. Moreover, incredulous Mexican pitcher Esteban Loaiza attempted to show Johnson the ball with the yellow paint of the foul pole on it, although this did not succeed in getting the call overturned. The call, once again, had little impact on the tournament. Jorge Cantu singled Valenzuela home later that inning anyway, meaning that the only impact the call had was on Valenzuela's individual statistics. Mexico won the game 2-1, eliminating the United States from the tournament, and in doing so eliminating themselves (due to the mathematics of advancement in the tournament, only a very exact score in a very exact number of innings could have saved the Mexicans). 2006 NOTE Even though Davidson famously blew two calls in the 2006 World Baseball Classic; he has returned to the major leagues. He resumed his ML umpire career on 4/03/2006 (Houston Astros vs. Florida Marlins) as first base umpire, and umped the plate the next day. As of a month into the season, he had yet to receive notoriety for further blown calls. OTHER CONTROVERSIAL CALLS While still in the major leagues, Davidson was also the second base umpire in Game 3 of the 1992 World Series , responsible for a blown Triple Play call against the Toronto Blue Jays . Blue Jays center fielder Devon White made a remarkable catch against the wall, then threw the ball into the infield, successfully catching a runner off the bag for the second out. Replays showed that Jays third baseman Kelly Gruber clearly touched Atlanta's Deion Sanders on the ankle before Sanders dove into second base, which should have completed the triple play. However, Davidson failed to see this, calling Sanders safe. As a result, the Jays just got credit for a double play. The play, if called a triple play, would have been the first World Series triple play since Bill Wambsganss ' unassisted trifecta in the 1920 World Series . Shown the replays the next day, Davidson admitted he missed the call. On September 20 , 1998 , St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire hit what appeared to be his 66th home run of the season, extending the record he had set earlier in that game. However, Davidson ruled the would-be homer a double due to fan interference after a fan reached over a yellow rail and caught the ball. The fenced-off area at Milwaukee County Stadium had been involved in other debatable home run calls, and had a reputation of being a difficult area for umpires to spot fan interference. |
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