Everybody makes mistakes—even umpires.
Chris Fairchild is no exception, but where he stands out among his peers is his willingness to admit when he’s flubbed a call. That’s what happened Monday night when, during the top of the fifth inning of a game between the Mets and Braves, New York pitcher Chris Bassitt appeared to strike out Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson.
There was only one problem: Fairchild called the pitch a ball.
Bassitt couldn’t believe it, and perhaps his stunned reaction impacted his next pitch, which missed the strike zone and resulted in a two-out walk for Swanson. Bassitt then hit Ronald Acuña Jr. with a pitch, but thankfully for the Mets (and Fairchild), he escaped the inning by retiring Matt Olson without allowing a run.
Fairchild certainly must have been relieved that his mistake didn’t cost the Mets a run, and he owned up to it as Bassitt and the rest of the team walked toward the dugout after the inning ended.
Umpires have earned a reputation for themselves of being defiantly unwilling to admit when they miss a call, so seeing Fairchild openly own up to his miscue is a refreshing development, and can serve as a model for how to handle a situation when you’ve messed up.
Everybody makes mistakes, but not everyone is strong or brave enough to admit them. Hopefully, Fairchild’s reaction can serve as a template for others to follow suit after their next blunder.
