Clovis player involved in blown perfect game

Fresno, CA                   |   Watch Video Above for Extended Coverage   |

Donald's name will forever be linked to a botched call. But Jason's dad, Buchanan High's baseball coach, believes the human element has long enhanced the beauty of the game.

Coach Tom Donald said, "It was kind of fun to watch it unfold and it was shocking a little bit at the end."

Wednesday night coach Donald watched in disbelief as his son Jason tried to break up Galarraga's perfect game. He said, "My initial reaction was, wow he's out and then when I saw the safe call. I think we were as surprised as he was."

Jason Donald is a 2003 Buchanan High grad. His dad is the Bears' head coach. Some have asked coach Donald if Jason should have just jogged to first base. "No, that's not how you play the game. It sends the wrong message and that's not in his DNA. That's not his makeup. Make contact and put the ball in play. It takes no talent to run as hard as you can down the line."

Coach Donald says Jason's exhausted by all the attention. Keep in mind, he's only been in the big leagues for 14 games. "The fact that maybe he'd be a small part of history or whatever he's a lot for him to take in."

Former big league umpire Terry Cooney of Clovis is no stranger to controversy. In 1990, he ejected Roger Clemens from an ALCS game.

Last night Cooney watched one of his umpiring friends botch a big play. Cooney said, "I didn't know who the umpire was at all and then they zeroed in on him and I said, oh no, it's Jimmy Joyce and he's a good umpire."

Cooney felt bad for a guy he helped make the transition to the majors. Cooney said, "When I seen it first and looked it again I said, oh no Jimmy. You kicked the hell out of that play."

Tom Donald believes baseball Commissioner Bud Selig's decision not to reverse the botched call was the right one.

Donald explained, "I think if you overturn it then maybe you open up a can of worms for things that have happened in the past."

In the last few weeks Tom Donald saw his son Jason called up to the big leagues, his Buchanan Bears won the valley championship and then came Wednesday night's crazy ending.