On August 18, 1968 — In the opener of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field, umpire Chris Pelekoudas calls three illegal pitches on Cubs P Phil Regan, twice allowing a retired batter to hit again. Pete Rose singles after a called 3rd strike. Pelekoudas can’t find any evidence on Regan and bases his calls on “the flight of the ball.” The Cubs, who lose both games, 2 – 1 and 6 – 3, protest the ump’s calls. The next day Warren Giles meets with Cubs officials and orders Pelekoudas to apologize to the church-going Regan, whom he calls a “fine Christian gentleman.” However, at the major leagues Winter Meetings, the Rules Committee will further amend the spitball rule to allow an ump to call an illegal pitch based on the flight of the ball.
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