# What's the most blatantly incorrect officiating error in sports history? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 19, 2016, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578 "2016-02-19T20:09:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/21 "2016-02-20T03:14:50Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > It was [The Long Count](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Count_Fight). Dempsey vs Tunney. Tunney was down. Got counted to 14 seconds out of 10. Kind of the winner here. Maybe Dempsey should have got his ass in the neutral corner faster, like he should have, rather than delay the start of the count. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/22 "2016-02-20T03:25:46Z")
How about those Olympic boxing and figure skating scandals where the fix was in with the judges? ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/23 "2016-02-20T03:32:10Z")
> [@Chihuahua](#): > > Not much a sports fan, but the first thing that came to my mind was the 1998 Lions / Steelers game. I’m not sure it was possible to mess up a coin toss, but they figured out a way. It seemed like a blown call with the original TV audio, and was widely reported that way, but the referee [got it right](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Luckett#Thanksgiving_1998). > [@](#): > > Within a week, the game tape was enhanced, and Bettis is clearly heard saying “hea-tails.” A sideline microphone enhancement also clearly had Bettis telling Coach Bill Cowher that (Bettis) had said “hea-tails.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/24 "2016-02-20T05:17:57Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Another one that was probably worse because of the situation: [Chuck Knoblauch’s phantom tag](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk6KQ-YaNjk) on Jose Offerman in the 1999 ALCS. At full speed you can kind of understand how the ump missed it, but that tag was not close. That’s one of the ones that came to my mind as well. There’s also [this play](http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v7078739/alcs-gm-4-yanks-catch-a-break-on-controversial-play) from the 2009 ALCS where the Angels’ catcher tags two Yankees at third base but only one is called out. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/25 "2016-02-20T05:36:12Z")
MY first thought was the Galarraga ‘imperfect game’. How about Maradona and the ‘[Hand of God](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ccNkksrfls)’? goal ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/26 "2016-02-20T06:03:10Z")
You mean Shilton`s follly? Basically anything with Aussie umpires. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/27 "2016-02-20T12:29:02Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Jorge Orta safe at first, 1985 World Series. Yeah, that’s the one I was going to post about. I was watching that game on TV when it happened. It wasn’t even a close call that he was out, but the ump called him safe. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/28 "2016-02-20T12:36:13Z")
Redskins at Dallas, final game of the 1979 regular season. With the clock running down, Theismann hits a receiver at about the Dallas 41, give or take a yard. With 2 seconds left, Theismann was frantically signalling time-out to the official, who turned his back on Joe and walked away. Moseley had the leg, at that time, to potentially hit one from that distance (58 yards, give or take a yard); he’d hit from 70 in practice. And the difference between winning and losing was the difference between being division champs and being out of the playoffs entirely. AFAIAC the 1979 season never finished; it’s perpetually frozen with 2 seconds to go in Dallas. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/29 "2016-02-20T12:36:55Z")
In the history of sports? That would be the jackass ref in 84 or so who said I didn’t catch the ball. The ball never got within 2 feet of the ground you stupid blind asshole. There is no way anybody could have ever thought the ball hit the ground, he obvious just called it 'cause he wanted _them_ to win. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/30 "2016-02-20T16:22:01Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > That was the first thing to come to my mind when I saw the title. What’s nice about that story is how both Joyce and Galarraga responded afterwards. They each showed a lot of class. It’s also what I thought about, though it was not blatant, at least as I understand the word. What happened to Galarraga? I see he no longer is playing in the MLB. Did he decline in talent or get injured? ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/31 "2016-02-20T16:56:11Z")
Despite the (shoulda been) perfect game, he was never really all that successful. Career 26-34,with a 4.78 ERA. Just wasn’t good enough to last. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/32 "2016-02-20T16:59:05Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > It’s also what I thought about, though it was not blatant, at least as I understand the word. > > What happened to Galarraga? I see he no longer is playing in the MLB. Did he decline in talent or get injured? He was a marginal talent who had a day of brilliance. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/33 "2016-02-20T17:26:30Z")
The call on the catch by Calvin Johnson that started us down the road of endless replays and not even knowing what a catch is. Given its impact I’d say that is by far the most egregious “error” in NFL history. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/34 "2016-02-20T18:22:08Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Andre the Giant over Hulk Hogan, where Hogan’s shoulder was clearly off the mat… Don’t forget Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart in Montreal, when the referee calls for the bell (and Vince McMahon orders the timekeeper to ring the bell) even though Hart clearly does not submit. Of course, neither of those were “mistakes” exactly… > [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > The Soviet Union getting three chances to inbound the ball, final three seconds, Olympic men’s basketball final, 1972. To be fair, stopping the second one was legitimate; the clock said :25. The buzzer you hear in the middle of the play is the timer trying to get the attention of the officials on the court that they weren’t ready yet. The actual mistake was, not giving the USSR a timeout it had called between the two free throws prior to the final play. This is what caused the first “restart” in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/35 "2016-02-20T19:05:10Z")
Colorado scoring a touchdown as time ran out on fifth down enroute in a season that ended with them splitting the national championship. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/36 "2016-02-20T19:19:27Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yeah, that’s the one I was going to post about. I was watching that game on TV when it happened. It wasn’t even a close call that he was out, but the ump called him safe. Meh. It wasn’t a close bang-bang play, but it also wasn’t blatantly terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/37 "2016-02-20T19:20:32Z")
Greg Page won the WBA heavyweight title in 1984 by knocking out Gerrie Coetzee 3:49 into the eighth round. That was 49 seconds after the round should have ended. In 1981, the Lions beat the Cowboys 27-24 with a 47-yard field goal as time expired. Detroit had 12 men on the field. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/38 "2016-02-20T20:02:04Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > How about Maradona and the ‘[Hand of God](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ccNkksrfls)’? goal Hand of God without a doubt. 30 years ago and I still get irritated about it. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/39 "2016-02-20T21:25:31Z")
Oooh, how about Missouri’s 5th Down against Colorado? > **[Fifth Down Game (1990)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Down_Game_(1990))** > > The Fifth Down Game was a college football game on October 6, 1990, that included a play that the crew officiating the game permitted to occur in error. That play enabled the Colorado Buffaloes to defeat the Missouri Tigers by scoring a touchdown at the end of the game. The ensuing controversy cast doubt on Colorado's claim to Division I-A's 1990 national championship, which it went on to share with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. It has been called one of the top memorable moments and blunders ... ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578/40 "2016-02-20T21:57:51Z")
This one time, Colorado beat Missouri after the refs screwed up the down markers. CU scored on 5th down. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-blatantly-incorrect-officiating-error-in-sports-history/746578.md?page=3)