umpire Chris Pelekoudas calls three illegal pitches on Cubs P Phil Regan, twice allowing a retired batter to hit again

 

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.

“The Vulture”, Regan led all of Major League Baseball with 25 saves in 1968 with the Cubs. He would go on that year to capture his second Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award. He also finished 17th in the MVP voting that year. The incident earned Regan a reputation that followed him the rest of his career.

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