In a 2012 Yankees-Blue Jays game, a bizarre sequence in the seventh inning led to one of the worst umpire calls in recent memory. With two outs and a runner on third, Phil Hughes was pitching to preserve a shutout. A high foul ball gave outfielder Dwayne Wise a chance at a catch. He leapt into the stands, but TV cameras cut away before confirming whether he held on. Wise casually jogged back onto the field without showing the ball. The third-base umpire, without asking to see it, called the batter out.
Replays clearly showed Wise dropped the ball. A fan in the front row even held it up proudly. The umpire never looked that way. Postgame, Wise admitted he didn’t catch it, saying he just tried to play it cool and jog off. Jack Hanahan, the batter, grilled the ump later. The ump admitted he blew the call and should have asked to see the ball. His reasoning: he “believed” the ball stayed in the glove. Hanahan called it inexcusable. This missed call wasn’t just a mistake. It became one of the plays that pushed MLB further toward adopting expanded replay. The ump didn’t get fooled. He just never double-checked.