Most Controversial Calls and Non-Calls in Sports
Though we wish they didn’t, officials often play instrumental roles in sports, as their calls and non-calls sometimes go as far as determining outcomes.
While most sports fans recognize the difficulty of the job with which referees are tasked, their mistakes are seldom forgiven.
Of course, the bigger the moment, the harsher the criticism.
With all that said, some mistakes deserve, and even demand, our ridicule.
When Jim Joyce robbed Armando Galarraga of a perfect game in 2010, something needed to be said. Likewise, Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup should never be forgotten. And Russia’s victory in basketball over the U.S. in the 1972 Olympics should forever be disputed.
With these moments in mind, then, we seek remembrance, ranking the top 10 most controversial calls and non-calls in sports history.
Some of the moments were no doubt more significant than others; nevertheless, each mistake was historically egregious.
Close, but No Cigar
1 of 11
Though we've confined our list to a top 10, sports history is littered with controversial calls and non-calls. As a result, we've compiled this list of honorable mentions, celebrating the best of the rest:
Ed. Note: We didn't include Game 6 of the Kings-Lakers series because as a commenter pointed out, there were just too many "questionable" calls to choose from.
10. Kent Hrbek 'Tags' Ron Gant
2 of 11Professional athletes will often do whatever in takes to get the win, a fact Minnesota Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek reinforced in Game 2 of the 1991 World Series.
As clearly seen in the video above, Hrbek uses Atlanta Brave Ron Gant’s momentum to his advantage, slyly lifting Gant off the bag to apply the tag and record the out. Of course, umpire Drew Coble falls for it…hook, line and sinker (baseball pun most definitely intended).
In truth, no one knows if Gant’s momentum would have eventually carried him off the base. What we do know, however, is that he was firmly on it until Hrbek did some heavy lifting, quite literally.
Two things to note: First, if the umpire assumed that Gant’s own momentum would eventually pull him off the bag, he was wrong for doing so. Second, and most important, physically lifting a baserunner off a base to make a tag is squarely outside the game’s parameters.
With that said, it is rather hard to blame Hrbek for doing “whatever it takes.” It’s easy to criticize Coble, though, for taking the bait.
9. Jim Joyce Robs Armando Galarraga
3 of 11In terms of significance, Jim Joyce’s failure of 2010 belongs near the top of our list. After all, it deprived Detroit's Armando Galarraga of a perfect game (he was just one out away).
But without the help of instant replay, it was a close, bang-bang call that—more than any other play on our list—could understandably be missed.
That, of course, does not justify the costly mistake that was made. In fact, even Joyce himself showed immediate remorse.
Worse yet, Galarraga will likely never get another chance: He's been out of MLB since 2012.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
8. Thierry Henry Handball
4 of 11This wasn’t just your average officiating blunder; it was one of the costliest measures. To be exact, Thierry Henry’s obvious handball in 2009 eliminated Ireland from World Cup qualification and sent France through.
It is also perfectly illustrates the value of instant replay.
In congested, fast-paced action, little details can easily be obscured. As a result, refs inevitably miss things here and there, and that’s OK.
You’re allowed to honestly get something wrong the first time around.
We should always, however, get the big things right in the end, even if France is thankful we don't.
7. Maier in the Outfield
5 of 11You’d have no problem selling instant replay to the 1996 Baltimore Orioles, who, without it, were absolutely robbed in Game 1 of the ALCS.
In the video above, it’s easy to see the extent to which Derek Jeter needed a little help from an unlikely friend—12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier.
The Orioles had the lead at the time of the supposed “home run”, but never rebounded from the controversial call, falling to the New York Yankees in five games.
No one knows how, or if, the mistake went on to influence the games that followed. What we do know, though, is that the Yankees and Jeter have never needed "charity" to win.
6. 'The Hand of God'
6 of 11We go back to soccer to highlight one of the sport’s most historically infamous goals.
In truth, the officiating blunder was more significant than egregious.
Again, for one ref to miss the handball and then assume Diego Maradona—the world’s best scorer—finished the play cleanly is completely understandable.
But with three referees in position to make the call, someone needed to get it right, especially when you consider the magnitude of it all—it was a 1986 World Cup game against England.
What’s also too often lost in the discussion is that none of this should really matter to begin with because Maradona was clearly offsides on the play.
It’s also worth noting that the Argentinian legend has since admitted to skirting the rules.
Add it all up and you've got one of the most controversial non-calls in the history of sports.
5. Chuck Knoblauch’s 'Tag'
7 of 11Something about baseball lends itself to moments of horrible officiating. And it seems like the Yankees benefit from it more often than most.
That certainly was the case in Game 4 of the 1999 ALCS, when Chuck Knoblauch was credited for tagging out Boston's Jose Offerman despite clearly missing him by multiple feet.
The Yankees went on to win the series in just five games.
But as seen in the video above, not without a little aid from the ump.
4. Seahawks Stun Packers
8 of 11In 2012, the NFL started the season with replacement refs—and it didn’t take long for them to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Their critics were justified on one of the first Mondays of the season: The fill-ins rewarded the Seattle Seahawks with a touchdown even though the last-second Hail Mary attempt was actually intercepted by the Green Bay Packers.
No one was surprised by the initial mistake.
The football world was mortified, however, when the rookie refs made the same mistake all over again, confirming the call despite overwhelming video evidence.
It’s one thing to get a call wrong in real time. It’s another thing entirely to get it wrong when one has endless instant replay at his disposal.
From replacement to ridicule, all in a split second.
3. Tim Welke and Jerry Hairston Jr.
9 of 11This one is so bad it’s actually funny. In the video above, umpire Tim Welke makes arguably the worst call in sports history, signaling Los Angeles' Jerry Hairston Jr. out even though Colorado's Todd Helton was nowhere near tagging the first base bag.
Honestly, it’s as if Welke wasn’t even watching the game and simply guessed in the end to avoid total embarrassment.
Of course, he did anything but avoid embarrassment.
And what about the home plate ump? His vantage point should have been as clear as anyone’s.
Like Welke, he was probably bored by baseball, too.
And it may sound crazy, but this was one of those way-too-obvious plays where even Helton has to say, “Hey, ump, I appreciate the help, but honestly, that guy was safe by a mile.”
2. Colorado Gets Lucky
10 of 11It’s one thing for a ref to miss a call or incorrectly interpret a rule. But there’s no excuse for failing to properly count, especially in football, where you only have to go as high as the number four.
That, however, is precisely what happened in 1990, when Colorado defeated Missouri on a fifth-down play from the 1-yard line.
If you go back and watch the video above, it’s clear that the officials gave the Buffs five opportunities to score from inside the 5-yard line.
For one official to lose track of the downs, especially in the red zone and on the game’s final drive, is truly embarrassing. But for the rest of them to allow it—Missouri’s head coach Bob Stull included—is completely inexcusable.
1. Refs, Russia Rob the US
11 of 11
It’s hard to say if this was terrible officiating or outright cheating. But assuming it was the former, it clearly belongs atop our list.
To witness perhaps the worst officiating in sports history, simply watch the video.
The footage is clear: Trailing by one with three seconds remaining in the 1972 Olympic basketball finals, the refs award Team Russia with not just one completely unjustified redo, but two.
So, just to review here, the Russians somehow got to run the game's “final play” on three separate occasions, or more specifically, until they finally scored.
And with little in the way of reasonable explanation, it was basically a "go until you make it" scenario.
Anyway, in the video, Team USA guard Doug Collins is seen doing his best to make sense of the monumental fiasco. He struggles to do so, however, considering the infamous moment made no sense at all.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
