Mistakes. We all make them.
But in sports, sadly, the pain, and the videos, can linger on and on.
Here are some of the most shocking mistakes ever in sports history.
Bill Buckner’s Passed Ground Ball
Just the name Bill Buckner is enough to send a Red Sox fan into fits, and his infamous passed ground ball is easily one of baseball’s most legendary plays. The Red Sox were leading the Mets three games to two in the World Series, and Game 6 was tied in extra innings. Mookie Wilson hit a slow ground ball to Buckner who let it pass through his legs, allowing the Mets to score and win both the game and eventually the series. While Buckner received death threats after the game, he also received a two-minute long standing ovation at the Red Sox’s 2008 home opener, signifying that the past was in the past.
Jim Marshall Runs the Wrong Way
We all have brain farts when playing sports. Luckily for us, these embarrassing mistakes aren’t broadcast to millions of people. Jim Marshall played with the Vikings for nearly twenty years and had a Hall of Fame-worthy career, but he will forever be known for one thing – the infamous wrong-way run. During a game against the 49ers, Marshall recovered a fumble and proceeded to run 66 yards in the wrong direction, resulting in a safety for the 49ers. While the Vikings would proceed to win the game, Marshall’s place in history was officially set, and many people now consider his infamous run to be one of the worst plays in NFL history.
Jim Joyce Ruins Armando Galarraga’s Perfect Game
A perfect game is a very rare thing in baseball. For a perfect game, a pitcher cannot allow a single runner on base through all nine innings, and only 20 pitchers had accomplished the feat prior to Galarraga’s game. On the very last out of the game, the Tigers successfully threw out the Indians’ baserunner, but umpire Jim Joyce incorrectly called him safe and ruined Galarraga’s perfect game. Both Galarraga and Joyce were praised for their responses, as Galarraga showed no animosity towards Joyce and Joyce later admitted to his incorrect call. Joyce cried upon meeting Galarraga the next day, and the two later wrote a book together titled Nobody’s Perfect.
What are the biggest sports gaffes you remember?
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