The GREATEST Catch in Little League History - I was there! - it was ALWAYS an OUT!

In case you missed it, here is the Greatest Catch in Little League history - maybe in the history of the game:  Greatest catch ever.  Some people are calling this the greatest catch ever - and I was there...First base umpire, watching the whole incident unfold.  

It should have been an easy call (it was), and there should have been no controversy (there was)...here's the complete story.

It was the 4th inning of what was still a tight game (it would unravel in the 5th) between Chinese Taipei and US East (from Pennsylvania).  With one out, there was a long fly ball to deep center field.  Jack Regenye caught the ball as he barreled over the center field fence.  He jumped up - ball still in glove, and the 2nd base umpire correctly called an out - see picture below

 

At that point, things started to go downhill.  The Chinese Taipei coach came out to argue the call, saying that Jack was out of bounds when he caught the ball.  As is correct protocol, the umpires got together to review the play.  If you watched the full game, not just the highlights, you got an opportunity to watch us discuss the catch.  My son said he was trying to read my lips, hoping I was calling it a catch.  In fact, we all agreed it WAS a catch, and the batter was out.  What happened next is just not explainable.  As we broke the conference, the home plate umpire mistakenly signaled Home Run - and then the controversy started.

As I ran back to my position, not realizing what call had been made, I saw the batter round the bases - and I almost ran after him to stop him.  I then looked to home plate to see what was going on.  As the US East coach came out to complain, the umpires quickly gathered together to get the call correct.  We circled again, reiterated our decision, and the call was correctly changed to a CATCH.  

And, of course, the Chinese Taipei coach then came out to argue - through his interpreter - and try to understand what had happened.  We never changed our call - but unfortunately, to the world, it looked like we did.  We had to explain to the Chinese that the call had always been a Catch...and then explain at least 2 or 3 times why that was the correct decision. 

The controversy made the story a bigger one than it was - and it was a BIG story - the catch was phenomenal (in truth, I just saw the last part of it, because my primary job was to make sure the batter touched first base, after which I looked up to see where I needed to be next).  

For us at the park, it was too bad that the mistaken call took away from the achievement, but later that day, everyone at the hotel was sitting in the lobby or the bar watching and rewatching the catch on ESPN or on Sports Central, or on the local news.  Jack was interviewed by ESPN - and we all got to watch him watching the interview play on TV.  A couple of us on the crew went up to him and told him the whole story - so now he has a little more of the background on the controversy - for a day i am sure he will never forget.

I'll add another post as a wrap up to my incredible week at the Series - this story deserved to stand alone.