University of Virginia Library

Pictures Say Umpire Wrong

Photo By Rick Smith

Gary Helman Picks Up Some Of Virginia's Total Of 283 Yards Rushing In First Quarter Action

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CINCINNATI — A sequence of
photographs by The Associated
Press shows that umpire Ken
Burkhart missed the call Saturday
on the controversial sixth Inning
play at home plate that helped
Baltimore to a 4-3 victory over the
Cincinnati Reds in the first World
Series game.

The sequence pictures made by
AP photographer Harry Harris show
that Oriole catcher Elrod Hendricks
never tagged Cincinnati's Bernie
Carbo, sliding into home; Carbo
apparently never touched the plate,
and Burkhart, the plate umpire,
falling and off balance, was unable
to see the play, anyhow.

The weird play figured
prominently in the outcome of the
first game. If Carbo had scored, it
would have sent the Reds area 1 4-3
and kept alive a rally. Baltimore
went on to win the game on Brooks
Robinson's home run in the
seventh.

Carbo was called out by
Burkhart, provoking an excited
protest from Manager Sparky
Anderson of the Reds and other
members of the Reds team.

Here was the situation:

The score was 3-3, one out in
the bottom of the sixth and Carbo
was on third, Tommy Helms on
first and Ty Cline at bat,
pinch-hitting for Woody
Woodward.

Cline tapped the ball in front of
the plate. The ball bounded 30 feet
in the air.

Hendricks moved out to grab it
as Jim Palmer, the Baltimore
pitcher, moved in from the mound.
Burkhart came out from behind the
plate and positioned himself astride
the third base foul line in order to
see if the ball was fair or foul.

At the same time. Carbo made a
dash for home, sliding at the plate
and upending Burkhart. Hendricks,
blocked from a clear tag by the
fallen umpire, caught the ball in his
bare hand, and according to the
photos, reached out with his glove
hand to tag Carbo.

The sequence shows that
Hendricks never changed the ball to
his gloved hand. Also, it appeared
that Carbo never touched the plate.

Burkhart also seemed to have
looked at the tag only after Carbo
had passed the plate.

Anderson said he thought
Hendricks missed the tag but
added: "Burkhart told me the tag
was made and I have to take his
word for it."