Bob Davidson (umpire)
Encyclopedia
Robert Allan Davidson (born August 3, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois) is an umpire
for Major League Baseball.
in 1970. He attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he played baseball for two seasons. Davidson then left to pursue a professional umpiring career. He spent eight years in the minors before being promoted to the majors. He is married to Denise and has two daughters, Amber and Andrea, and two grandchildren, Alana and Brock. He resides in Colorado. In 2010, Davidson was elected into the University of Minnesota-Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame.
in the National League
from 1982 to 1999. He resigned in 1999 as part of a labor negotiation strategy. However, Davidson has returned to professional umpiring and now is again part of the MLB staff. Davidson, who has been nicknamed "Balkin' Bob" or "Balk-a-day-Bob" due to his frequent balk
calls, currently wears number 6, but wore number 31 during his career in the NL. When the AL and NL merged their umpiring staffs in 2000, number 31 was assigned to Mike Reilly, who wore the number in the AL, so Davidson wore number 61 until the 2011 season.
For 2011, Davidson's crew includes crew chief Jerry Layne
, Hunter Wendelstedt
and Brian Knight
.
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.
until 2003, when he resumed umpiring in minor league baseball
, including the A-level Midwest League
. In December 2004, he and fellow resignees Tom Hallion
and Ed Hickox
were guaranteed three of the next five positions on the Major League umpire staff, with Davidson reportedly guaranteed the first vacancy.
had Tsuyoshi Nishioka
at third base and Akinori Iwamura
at the plate against American
pitcher Joe Nathan
, seemingly in good position to take the lead. 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 on a routine sacrifice fly
. Winn threw home but did not catch Nishioka, seemingly giving Japan a 4-3 lead. Prior to the next at-bat, the American team executed an appeal play
, arguing that Nishioka had not properly tagged up at third base. Third base umpire Neil Poulton
had been in correct position as on the previous play he had to go out to left field to get a proper angle on the catch/no catch made by the left fielder. This then became Davidson's call as he was the home plate umpire and had to watch the tag of 3rd base. Second-base umpire Brian Knight
ruled that Nishioka was safe.
American manager Buck Martinez then argued, not just his view that Nishioka had left third base too early, but that the wrong umpire had made the call on the appeal play; it was not second-base umpire Knight's decision to rule Nishioka safe or out, but home plate umpire Davidson's. Davidson met with the other umpires and, after deliberation, ruled Nishioka out.
Davidson was not overstepping his bounds in overturning Knight's call, because Martinez was technically correct in that it was never Knight's call to make. However video replay showed that Nishioka had indeed properly tagged up at third base and not left the bag too early.
Japan ended up losing the game by one run on an Alex Rodriguez
double in the bottom of the ninth inning. It's possible that Japan would have lost anyway, as Rodríguez's double would likely have scored two runs (had the 2nd run mattered), while others countered that had Japan scored that run by Nishioka, they would have deployed their closer Akinori Otsuka
to pitch the ninth inning. Regardless, Davidson's call and the unusual circumstances around it created a minor international incident. Although the loss - whether Davidson's fault or not - put Japan's hopes of advancing to the next round in serious jeopardy, they ended up moving on anyway, ironically, at the expense of the United States.
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 6 feet 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 Mexico 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 Davidson 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.
between the Toronto Blue Jays
and the Atlanta Braves
, Davidson was the official who ruled that Deion Sanders
was not tagged out on the controversial near-triple play which occurred in the 4th inning. After a David Justice
blast to center field was snagged in a sensational catch by Devon White, baserunners Terry Pendleton
and Sanders crossed each other on the basepath, resulting in an automatic out. With two outs now on the play, John Olerud
delivered the ball to third-baseman Kelly Gruber
. Gruber and shortstop Manuel Lee
now had Sanders engaged in a rundown, and as Gruber closed in on Sanders, feigning a throw to second, Sanders dove headfirst back to second. Gruber dove as well, dragging his glove across Sanders right foot before his hand reached the base. Davidson, however, immediately called Sanders safe and refuted arguments from both Gruber and manager Cito Gaston, despite television replays clearly showing contact between shoe and glove did in fact occur. Had Sanders been correctly called out, it would have marked the second ever triple play in World Series history. The first came in 1920
when Bill Wambsganss
turned an unassisted triple play on Oct. 10 for the winning Cleveland Indians
. However, for the Blue Jays, it proved irrelevant in the end as they won the game and the Series.
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
for Major League Baseball.
Early life
Bob Davidson graduated from Duluth East High School in Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
in 1970. He attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he played baseball for two seasons. Davidson then left to pursue a professional umpiring career. He spent eight years in the minors before being promoted to the majors. He is married to Denise and has two daughters, Amber and Andrea, and two grandchildren, Alana and Brock. He resides in Colorado. In 2010, Davidson was elected into the University of Minnesota-Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame.
Major League Baseball career
He was on the full-time umpiring staff for Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
from 1982 to 1999. He resigned in 1999 as part of a labor negotiation strategy. However, Davidson has returned to professional umpiring and now is again part of the MLB staff. Davidson, who has been nicknamed "Balkin' Bob" or "Balk-a-day-Bob" due to his frequent balk
Balk
In baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. In games played under the Official Baseball Rules, a balk results in a dead ball or delayed dead ball. In certain other circumstances, a balk may be wholly or partially disregarded...
calls, currently wears number 6, but wore number 31 during his career in the NL. When the AL and NL merged their umpiring staffs in 2000, number 31 was assigned to Mike Reilly, who wore the number in the AL, so Davidson wore number 61 until the 2011 season.
For 2011, Davidson's crew includes crew chief Jerry Layne
Jerry Layne
Jerry Blake Layne is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League between 1989 and 1999, and throughout both major leagues since 2000...
, Hunter Wendelstedt
Hunter Wendelstedt
Harry Hunter Wendelstedt III is a baseball umpire who has worked in the National League in 1998-1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. His father Harry Hunter Wendelstedt, Jr. was an NL umpire from 1966 to 1998...
and Brian Knight
Brian Knight
Brian Michael Knight is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears number 91.Knight has umpired in the Major Leagues since , although he was not officially promoted to the Major League staff until...
.
He officiated in the 1992 World Series
1992 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS...
, as well as the National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
in 1988
1988 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 4, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe series opened with a classic pitching matchup, pitting the Dodgers' Orel Hershiser, who had won 23 games during the regular season and carried a Major League record 59 consecutive scoreless innings into the game,...
, 1991
1991 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 9, 1991 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaThe Pirates proved they would be tough to eliminate early when they stifled the Braves offense behind 1990 Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek and won the first game 5–1...
and 1996
1996 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 9, 1996 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaGame 1 was played in Atlanta with 24-game winner John Smoltz on the mound for the Braves. Brian Jordan tripled and scored the first run of the series for St. Louis, but Mark Lemke singled in two runs in the...
. He also worked in the National League Division Series
National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series...
in 1995
1995 National League Division Series
-Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:-Game 1, October 3:Coors Field in Denver, ColoradoGame 1 was a match-up between aces: Greg Maddux for the Atlanta Braves and Kevin Ritz for the Colorado Rockies. Ritz and Maddux worked their way out of minor trouble early on, but, in the top of the third,...
and 1998
1998 National League Division Series
-Houston Astros vs. San Diego Padres:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Braves faced the Chicago Cubs, who made it into the playoffs by beating the San Francisco Giants in a tiebreaker for the Wild Card spot. The Braves had sixteen more regular season wins and it showed in...
, and in the 1987
1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 58th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 1987 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland,...
and 1993
1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 64th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 13, 1993 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland,...
All-Star Games.
Resignation and return
Davidson resigned from the NL staff in 1999 as part of a failed mass resignation during labor negotiations. He was out of professional baseballProfessional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
until 2003, when he resumed umpiring in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, including the A-level Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
. In December 2004, he and fellow resignees Tom Hallion
Tom Hallion
Thomas Francis "Tom" Hallion is an American umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1985 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2005. He is currently a crew chief. Hallion is well known for his exciting and demonstrative strikeout signal in which he...
and Ed Hickox
Ed Hickox (umpire)
Edwin William Hickox is an umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1990 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues beginning in 2005. He wears uniform number 15. Hickox officiated in the 2007 National League Division Series and the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star...
were guaranteed three of the next five positions on the Major League umpire staff, with Davidson reportedly guaranteed the first vacancy.
Japan vs. the United States
In the top of the eighth inning of a second-round game, with score tied at 3-3, Team JapanJapan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
had Tsuyoshi Nishioka
Tsuyoshi Nishioka
is a professional baseball infielder who currently plays for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2003–10....
at third base and Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura is a Japanese Major League Baseball infielder, who is currently with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League...
at the plate against American
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
pitcher Joe Nathan
Joe Nathan
Joseph Michael Nathan is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball . Nathan started out his baseball career as a shortstop in high school but converted to a pitcher after being drafted by the San Francisco Giants...
, seemingly in good position to take the lead. Iwamura hit a pop fly to left field, which was easily fielded by American fielder Randy Winn
Randy Winn
Dwight Randolph Winn is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. Winn was a switch hitter, and threw right-handed. He played college baseball at Santa Clara University and made his Major League debut in 1998 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
. As soon as Winn caught the ball, Nishioka started from third base, attempting to score on a routine sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
. Winn threw home but did not catch Nishioka, seemingly giving Japan a 4-3 lead. Prior to the next at-bat, the American team executed an appeal play
Appeal play
In baseball, an appeal play occurs when a member of the defensive team calls the attention of an umpire to an infraction which he would otherwise ignore.-Appeal Play Situations:A runner shall be called out, after a successful live ball appeal, if he:...
, arguing that Nishioka had not properly tagged up at third base. Third base umpire Neil Poulton
Neil Poulton
Neil Poulton is a Scottish product designer, based in Paris, France. He specializes in the design of 'deceptively simple-looking mass-produced objects' and has won numerous international design awards....
had been in correct position as on the previous play he had to go out to left field to get a proper angle on the catch/no catch made by the left fielder. This then became Davidson's call as he was the home plate umpire and had to watch the tag of 3rd base. Second-base umpire Brian Knight
Brian Knight
Brian Michael Knight is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears number 91.Knight has umpired in the Major Leagues since , although he was not officially promoted to the Major League staff until...
ruled that Nishioka was safe.
American manager Buck Martinez then argued, not just his view that Nishioka had left third base too early, but that the wrong umpire had made the call on the appeal play; it was not second-base umpire Knight's decision to rule Nishioka safe or out, but home plate umpire Davidson's. Davidson met with the other umpires and, after deliberation, ruled Nishioka out.
Davidson was not overstepping his bounds in overturning Knight's call, because Martinez was technically correct in that it was never Knight's call to make. However video replay showed that Nishioka had indeed properly tagged up at third base and not left the bag too early.
Japan ended up losing the game by one run on an Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
double in the bottom of the ninth inning. It's possible that Japan would have lost anyway, as Rodríguez's double would likely have scored two runs (had the 2nd run mattered), while others countered that had Japan scored that run by Nishioka, they would have deployed their closer Akinori Otsuka
Akinori Otsuka
is a currently inactive Japanese Major League Baseball player. He was formerly the set-up man for the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers...
to pitch the ninth inning. Regardless, Davidson's call and the unusual circumstances around it created a minor international incident. Although the loss - whether Davidson's fault or not - put Japan's hopes of advancing to the next round in serious jeopardy, they ended up moving on anyway, ironically, at the expense of the United States.
Mexico vs. the United States
In the bottom of the third inning of a second-round game between MexicoMexico national baseball team
The Mexico national baseball team is the baseball team which represents Mexico in international tournaments. They are currently the eighth ranked baseball team in the world.-Pan American Games:*1951 Bronze Medal *1963 Bronze Medal...
and the United States, Mexican outfielder Mario Valenzuela
Mario Valenzuela
Mario Valenzuela Osuna is a professional baseball outfielder.-Career:Valenzuela currently plays for the Diablos Rojos del México of the summer Mexican Baseball League and the Algodoneros de Guasave of the Mexican Pacific League...
hit what appeared to be a home run off of American pitcher Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
, 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 6 feet 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 Mexico 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
Esteban Loaiza
Esteban Antonio Loaiza Veyna [lo-EYE-sa] is a former Major League Baseball pitcher...
attempted to show Davidson 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
Jorge Cantú
Jorge Luís Cantú Guzmán is an American professional baseball first baseman.Cantú bats and throws right-handed. He was born in McAllen, Texas, went to Sharyland High School, but was raised and makes his home in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico.-Tampa Bay Devil Rays:Cantú was spotted by a scout while...
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.
Game 3 of the 1992 World Series
On October 20, 1992, in the 3rd game of the 1992 World Series1992 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS...
between the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
and the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Davidson was the official who ruled that Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders
Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...
was not tagged out on the controversial near-triple play which occurred in the 4th inning. After a David Justice
David Justice
David Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
blast to center field was snagged in a sensational catch by Devon White, baserunners Terry Pendleton
Terry Pendleton
Terry Lee Pendleton is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball, and a former hitting coach and current first base coach of the Atlanta Braves. He played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, but he also spent time with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas...
and Sanders crossed each other on the basepath, resulting in an automatic out. With two outs now on the play, John Olerud
John Olerud
John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
delivered the ball to third-baseman Kelly Gruber
Kelly Gruber
Kelly Wayne Gruber is a former Major League Baseball third baseman.-Early career:Gruber played baseball at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas where his number was later retired. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round of the 1980 amateur draft but did not see time with the team...
. Gruber and shortstop Manuel Lee
Manuel Lee
Manuel Lora Lee is a former shortstop and second baseman for Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays , Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals...
now had Sanders engaged in a rundown, and as Gruber closed in on Sanders, feigning a throw to second, Sanders dove headfirst back to second. Gruber dove as well, dragging his glove across Sanders right foot before his hand reached the base. Davidson, however, immediately called Sanders safe and refuted arguments from both Gruber and manager Cito Gaston, despite television replays clearly showing contact between shoe and glove did in fact occur. Had Sanders been correctly called out, it would have marked the second ever triple play in World Series history. The first came in 1920
1920 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 2:Wednesday, October 6, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 3:Thursday, October 7, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 4:...
when Bill Wambsganss
Bill Wambsganss
William Adolf Wambsganss was a second baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1914 through 1926, Wambsganss played for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Athletics...
turned an unassisted triple play on Oct. 10 for the winning Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. However, for the Blue Jays, it proved irrelevant in the end as they won the game and the Series.
Other Calls
- On May 31, 1993, during a primetime ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
broadcast, 3 Phillies were ejected, and a ball was called on Phillies pitcher Larry Anderson. When asked afterwards Phillies catcher Darren DaultonDarren DaultonDarren Arthur Daulton , nicknamed Dutch, is a former catcher in Major League Baseball best remembered for his years with the Philadelphia Phillies...
said "He's one of those impact umpires. In my opinion, the game was on ESPN, and he couldn't wait to suit up and make an impact. He's one of those guys . . . You go into his house, and there's lots of pictures of himself and none of his family." Daulton was one of the three ejected.
- On September 20, 1998, St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
first baseman Mark McGwireMark McGwireMark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
hit what appeared to be his 66th home run of the season, extending the record that 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 StadiumMilwaukee County StadiumMilwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...
had been involved in other debatable home run calls, and had a reputation of being a difficult area for umpires to spot fan interference.
- On August 5, 2010, Gaby SanchezGaby SanchezGabriel "Gaby" Sanchez is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Miami Marlins. He bats and throws right-handed...
of the Florida MarlinsFlorida MarlinsThe Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
hit what appeared to be a hard walk off single to left field, which was ruled a foul ball by Davidson. However, subsequent replays showed that the ball landed just in fair territory, bounced over the base and landed again in fair territory, sparking outrage from the Marlins dugout. The Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
went on to win the game in ten innings by a score of 5-4. Davidson later stated, "In my opinion, where it goes over the bag, you can't tell...I'm very confident I got it right. What the ball did when it went past me is irrelevant."
- On September 7, 2010 at Miller Park, he threw out MilwaukeeMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
outfielderOutfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Chris DickersonChris Dickerson (baseball)Christopher Charles Dickerson is a Major League Baseball left fielder for the New York Yankees.-Early career:...
, St. Louis pitching coach Dave DuncanDave Duncan (baseball)David Edwin Duncan is an American former professional baseball player and current pitching coach for the St. Louis Cardinals...
and a Brewers fanFan (person)A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
who was hecklingHecklerA heckler is a person who harass and try to disconcert others with questions, challenges, or gibes.Hecklers are often known to shout disparaging comments at a performance or event, or interrupts set-piece speeches, for example at a political meeting, with intent to disturb its performers or...
Cardinals catcherCatcherCatcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Yadier MolinaYadier MolinaYadier Benjamin Molina known affectionately by fans as "Yadi", is a Major League Baseball catcher who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals.Molina was the third catcher to play in two World Series before age 25, along with Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra. He is considered one of the best defensive...
. Brewers managerManager (baseball)In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Ken MachaKen MachaKenneth Edward Macha is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During an 8-year managing career, he managed the Oakland Athletics , whom he guided to the American League's Western Division championship in both his first and final seasons with the team, and the Milwaukee Brewers...
had also been tossed, but the deed was credited to Tim TimmonsTim TimmonsTimothy Forbes Timmons is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked throughout both leagues since 2000 after debuting in the National League as a substitute in late 1999...
. All of this occurred in a game that concluded with Trevor HoffmanTrevor HoffmanTrevor William Hoffman is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During his 18-year career from 1993 to 2010, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and the Milwaukee Brewers, spending years of his career with the Padres. A long-time closer, he is the Major...
recording his 600th major league save.