Did controversial umpire Pat Hoberg call a perfect game? Know all about the MLB World Series matchup

Being an MLB umpire is a thankless job, as they arguably play the most crucial part of the game, being the ones making game-altering calls. It has been a constant pain for MLB fanbases when an incompetent umpire is assigned to call games. However, not all game officials are made equal. Some are borderline bionic and accurate when it comes to making calls.

A good example of umpires drawing the admiration of baseball fans is the now-controversial Pat Hoberg. Regarded as one of the best game officials in the league, Hoberg cemented himself in baseball history by producing a perfect game as an umpire during Game 2 of the 2022 World Series.

In the 5-2 win by the Houston Astros over the Philadelphia Phillies, Hoberg officiated a "perfect game" by an umpire by accurately calling 129 pitches.

Per Umpire Scorecards, Hoberg accurately called 89 balls and 40 strikes for a grand accuracy of 100%. That's especially tough in the modern game, as balls accuracy linger at around 97% for umpires while strike accuracy is at a measly 88%.

With his rare feat, Hoberg became the first umpire to call a perfect game, which received acclaim from baseball fans and spectators.

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MLB umpire Pat Hoberg gets sacked by the league

In a ruling upheld by MLB officials, umpire Pat Hoberg has been relieved of his duties as a game official for the league.

"Umpire Pat Hoberg has been fired for sharing betting accounts with a friend who bet on baseball though there is no evidence Hoberg himself bet on games or manipulated any that he worked. He also deleted messages central to MLB’s investigation." - @ Jesse Rogers

Hoberg's contract as an umpire was initially terminated on May 31, 2024 after an investigation concluded that he failed to uphold Article 9.A of the CBA or to "maintain integrity of the international game of baseball."

Although he didn't place wagers on baseball himself, he shared his account with a friend who did 141 bets on baseball games. That, and the deletion of evidence while the investigation was going on, led to the umpire's subsequent firing.