Earlier this year, Justin Bour sprinted to 2nd base. He slid. The ball came in quickly from the catcher. The tag beat Bour’s hand to the bag. The umpire makes the call, “safe.” Knowing that he was out, Bour simply began walking toward his dugout. Cubs 2nd baseman, Javier Báez, ran over to Bour and tagged him. Bour didn’t care. He knew he was out and he wasn’t going to pretend that he was safe. He explained as much following the game.
Your Turn: Would you have done the same thing? Explain your answer.
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I once started to walk back to the dugout after the same thing happened to me but instead I kept playing. I didn’t regret it because referees missing calls is part of the game
I probably would have stayed on the base if the umpire called me safe. And had it been the other way around I would have been angry but I would have gone back to the dugout. The umpire or the referee has the final say in all matters and whatever he says I believe you should go with that.
I probably would have stayed on second base even if I knew I was out because when you get a free base you have to take advantage of it. If it didn’t get reviewed I likely would’ve admitted to being out afterwards, however.
Pretty cool to see that happen, especially in a professional game where winning is so important. Takes some real integrity.
I wouldn’t have said I was safe because I would want to help my team any way I could.
I would want to believe I would have done the same, but in reality I’d hope to win instead of living up to a minor miss call on the umpires part.
I probably wouldn’t have because I want my team to win but then again it’s always good to be honest
I probably wouldn’t have done the same thing. But it takes someone with a lot of character to do such a thing when you know your teammates and coaches might be mad at you.
I feel very inspired by this story, as it shows that some athletes today have great integrity and honesty when it comes to sports. This is especially important in tennis, where making certain close line calls can decide crucial points. Making honest calls and recognizing when a bad call was made allows the game to be played without controversy. I probably would have done the same thing, as the call was very wrong, and it shouldn’t matter what call is made as long as the right call is played out.
No I would not do this because if the umpire says I’m safe I am going to stay on the bag. This is how you play baseball.
To be completely honest, I would hope that I would do the same thing but I am not positive when I am in a competitive game atmosphere. There have been times where I have said to the ref that I have touched a ball when the red did not think I have, but I have also not told the ref when he has made the wrong call which is not the right thing to do. After reading this, hopefully I will take more pride in myself and the game to do the right thing and be honest about calls.
I think this is a really good thing for baseball to be honest about the call because now in games they have to go to review a lot for everything
I do not think I would do the same thing. Sometimes in games I get super intense and I lose sight that the other team is the same as me
I would do the same thing because I would have done what was right and not what would keep me in the game.
I would have liked to have done the same thing but I am competitive and I would stay on the bag
I know the right thing to do is to do what the player did, and I know deep down I would have wanted to do it, I probably would have just stayed on the base especially if it was a close game because I would have wanted my team to win, and it could be the play that decides the whole game.
I think it’s important to stay truthful even if it “lose” because of it. I think in the long term that would help you because then people see that.
I think that I would have done the same thing because if I knew for sure that I was out like Bour did, I would have left the base. I would have done this because it would be the right thing to do and not interfere with the fair play of the game.
I would like to think that if I was in that situation I would do the same thing. In volleyball matches, if my mistake is obvious (like touching the net) I would not try to make it seem like the other team’s fault because it is under my control.
I wouldn’t have done the same thing because I would want to win to much.
I liked how he was honest and didn’t argue.
Bour’s situation was a question of integrity. Would you leave if you knew that you were out? My answer is yes because although they are playing the game of baseball, you have to respect the rules and knowing that you cheated is not a good position to be in. Also, when people see that you cheated your reputation will be damaged.
Good to see some great sportsmanship !
This is a perfect example of integrity.
I hope I would have done the same thing in the same situation because I think playing your sport with integrity and honestly to your abilities and the abilities of your opponents is more important than winning by cheating.
To be honest, I don’t know if I would have done the same thing. It was very noble of him to do that especially in a Major League Baseball game that was very competitive. This is a good reminder of even when there are bad calls, we need to stay honest and do the right thing.
Good man.
I know that it would be hard to admit that I out, but it’s truly the right thing to do. That kind of attitude shows your kind of character, a leader, and what a good teammate looks like.
That is a great example of being a good sport. That’s something that I never saw or heard about, and it’s really cool.
I don’t think I would have done the same because I would want the best for my team and try to win.
I think I would have done the same because I knew I was out by a long shot so there would be no point to act like I was safe.
It is very impressive that he was honest about his “loss”. He definitely shows integrity.
No I would of just stayed on the base because the umpire called me safe.
I would have done the same thing because it’s not fair for the other team when they made a correct play and have their opponent not be affected by it.
i would have done the same thing because you don’t know who could have seen it. even if the ump didn’t, that doesn’t mean that other people didn’t. so they’ll just think you’re a bad sport. whereas by doing this, it shows honesty and sportsmanship.
I probably would of done the same thing, because it was the right thing to do. and it was good sportsmanship.
Yes, I would have done the same thing because I value honesty. For example, on the volleyball court, if I touch the ball for a block with just my finger tips and the ball goes out, sometimes it is hard to tell if I actually touched it. Therefore, my team would receive a point that we didn’t deserve. If I was asked if I touched the ball, I would be honest.
Yes, because it would be unfair and not represent you in a good way if you lied if got tagged out.
Yes I would have tagged him again because he was clearly out by a mile.
Yeah, I would have. Not doing so would be cheating not only the other team but yourself as well.
i would do the same because if i knew i was out, it’s the right thing to do for the other team and the people watching.
I would have done the same thing, because if I knew I was out I wouldn’t have stayed in.
I would’ve done the same thing. If I knew I was out and they called me safe I would go tot he dugout.
I probably wouldn’t do the same thing because I would have thought that they were right.
Yes I would have done the same because a sport is supposed to help with leadership and being honest and following morals would be being a good leader.
I wouldn’t of done the same thing because I would want to help my team win and do whatever I had to for my team to win the game.
I would have done the same thing because that’s integrity. He knew he was out and he knew it wasnt the right thing to do by staying on second, even if it cost the Angel’s the game
I probably would’ve just gone with what the ump says because knowing me i’m a very shy person and i don’t like to stand out so i would just continue playing like nothing happened.
I want to believe that I would do the same, but in reality I would most likely stay. It’s the umpire that made the call and once the call is made, it is made just like in any sport and we all have to deal with it whether it was right or wrong.
If that happened to me, I would probably go back to the dugout because if it was the other way around, I would want the other team to do the same.
I would go with what the ump said
Good to be honest but in that situation he should have just stayed
I would stay on the base because the umpire made the call and that is his job.
If it were me I would have stayed. I would’ve stayed because wrong calls by referees or umps in sports happen all the time and if it’s in your favor why not?
I would have stayed, anything to get an advantage, umpires make bad calls all the time
I would have been honest and told the umpire that I wasn’t safe.
I would’ve stayed on the base and continued the game if he said it was safe it was safe.
Yea depends what kind of call too though, sometimes you just have to admit that there was a mistake.
I would probably do the same thing and if i know i’m out then be honest and walk off or tell coach that i was out
I would just stay on base unless my coach told me otherwise. Yes the umpire made a bad call but he called it so you should stay on base.
If I were him I would have stayed on base and waited for my coach to handle the situation but I probably would’ve said something I just don’t think I’d be bold enough to just walk off the field like that afraid I would get yelled at or something. If this was volleyball related though I would definitely speak up if something was called wrong because it’s different than walking off a field when everyone knows the ump said safe.
I probably would have stayed but he did the right thing. Honesty is the best characteristic a athlete can have and for him to do that showed a lot about him.
I would have stayed on the base because the umpire makes the call
I would have stayed on the base. Refs and umps make bad calls sometimes whether or not is intentional. It was very sportsman like of him to be honest, but not allowing the ump to make his call is almost disrespectful.
I would of just stayed on base, since the call said he was safe. But if I got questioned about it I would tell the truth.
I think I would probably stay on base because there are bad calls both ways and the umpire makes the executive calls.
I would have done the same because he wasn’t causing a scene, and he did what he was supposed to do.
His sportsmanship is impressive.
Sometimes it can be frustrating to lose a point for a bad call, and sometimes you gotta just work hard to get the next point.
I personally stay on the base until the play is reviewed and called safe or out because it’s little things like that that can win you a game.
I think it’s cool to see that kind of honesty in a professional game, but personally, I would have taken the opportunity that I was given and stay on the base for my team.
I would have stayed on the base because I respect umpires calls. I know when you are the team fielding and a call is made against you, it sucks, but you keep playing. So I think that same thing should go for the batting team as well.
I believe I would have kept running to the dugout even though I was put because I knew I was out and that was the correct call even though it wasn’t made.
This was very noble and honest and I will look up to this. Even though it would cost the team and the ump called him safe, he knew deep down that it wasn’t right and because of that he called himself out.
Yes because I would not have wanted to take a base that I knew I didn’t make it to.
I probably wouldn’t have done the same. Although it is good to be honest, if a ref/umpire makes a bad call both teams should go with it.
I would’ve stayed on the base because it’s just part of the game, referees aren’t perfect and I would wait for someone to say something or to challenge the call.
Honestly I would have stayed on the base. Because it’s just part of the game. I
I would have stayed on base because I want to win. Bad calls are made all the time. Its apart of the game
I think I wouldn’t have done the same thing. I am in an olympic development program for softball and I am very competitive. I think I would have probably considered it, but overall my competitiveness wouldn’t have let me offend my coach like that. I wouldn’t have regretted it because after all, the ump made that call in the first place.
If this happened to me I would have done the same thing. I would have just started walking to the dugout, because I knew I was out and I would want to be fair to the other team.
If this would have happened to me I would have walked back to the dugout like he did because with all of the advanced cameras we have now the truth will come out.
I believe that this player did the right thing by turning himself because it shows that he is a trustworthy, kind, and honest person. This is the type of person you would want to have on your team.
No I wouldn’t have done the same thing because I hate losing but I totally respect Justin Bour for his great honestly.
I would not do the same thing, because I am an overly competitive person and I would want to win the game at all cost, I am also saying this because I have done it before and not been honest on a call
Since the referee made the call I would just play along with it because most of the time they make bad calls and the players have to follow it. Although it might be undeserved, the ref made the official but it depends on the player to make their own call of going along with it or calling it out.
I would have done the right thing and called myself out. I wouldn’t have lied when I knew that I was out.
This article teaches a good lesson; if you know something is wrong, you shouldn’t do it. He knew he was out and didn’t agree with the umpire’s “safe” call. Good character does still exist.
yes i would do the samething
he was going to one base then the ball hit hes shoe.when he got out he was off the safe.