Major League Umpire Jim Joyce missed a call on the final out of a perfect game pitched by Detroit hurler Armando Galarraga. Bottom of the 9th. Last out. Clearly out at first. And Joyce called the runner safe.

In a split second a perfect game was lost. 27 batters up. 27 batters out. That bad call ruined it.

Now had Joyce been a high-powered CEO or politician, he most likely  would have admitted no mistakes saying…”I saw it like I saw it.” And he would have refused to talk about it. Or his spin doctors would have gone to work to rewrite history. Or his lawyers called in to assess liability.

But Jim Joyce is a real man. He saw the replay, admitted he made a mistake, and then went to apologize to Galarraga.

What happened next is heart-warming.

People have come out of the woodwork to express their admiration for how Joyce has handled the situation. Detroit Tiger fans greeted him warmly the next day, a day in which he was umping again. And Galarraga handed Joyce the line-up card. Joyce wiped away a real tear. And then patted Galarraga on the back.

Both men and the Tiger fans have come out of this mistaken call with heads held high. Galarraga for the way he has handled the disappointment. Detroit fans for being classy. And Joyce for having the guts to say, “I blew it.”

Congratulations to both men, a pitcher and an ump, for being role models.

And here’s to the fans…for knowing it.