Everyone makes mistakes. Many errors are small and often easily rectified. In many cases, the person making the mistake is the only one that knows, unless he/she chooses to tell. On the other hand, there are some blunders that are of historically epic proportions. As a bell can’t be un-rung, the error cannot be undone. For public figures, this could make worldwide news, and be hard, if not impossible to live down. For example:
The Commander and Chief
In 1948, Harry S. Truman ran for president against Thomas E. Dewey. The Chicago Daily Tribune was so sure that Dewey was going to emerge victorious that they already had the next day’s edition ready printed up, before the election was official over. Unfortunately, they were wrong.
Unable to live their blunder down, the edition will go down in history as one of the biggest publication errors. As a result, publishers will now prepare two papers. It still saves time, so they can make the morning edition; but, they wait until the race is called. Then, they send the correct paper to the presses.
How do you Spell Potato?
In 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle made history as the politician that couldn’t spell. For those with a tendency to add a vowel here or there, it’s best not to attend an elementary spelling bee, and attempt to correct a student. If you add an “e” to the end of a word that doesn’t need it, and it hits the national news, you could end up spending a lifetime living it down. Just as Mr. Quayle.
It’s just a Game
It’s just a game. If you tell that to Armando Galarraga, he might just punch you in the nose. Because of an umpiring mistake, a player that should have been out was called “safe”. It cost the pitcher a perfect game, and a chance to be put in the sports history books as pitching the 21st MLB perfect game.
Although the umpire later acknowledged his mistake and apologized, there are no take-backs in baseball. The call stands. It doesn’t seem fair. In football, there are instant replays and the referees can confer on a call that may be questionable.