MLB: Buehrle Perfect Game

[dmwierz]

I had the privilege of covering today's perfect game thrown by White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle. Here are a few of the images from this classic game.


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Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) pitching in the early innings of an MLB game at US Cellular Field between the White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, won by Chicago 5-0, with Buehrle pitching the first perfect game in 87 years for the White Sox, and only the 18th such classic in MLB history.

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Chicago White Sox first baseman Josh Fields (7) hits a grand slam home run in the second inning of an MLB game at US Cellular Field between the White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, providing the only runs White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle would need on the way to pitching a perfect game and leading the White Sox to a 5-0 victory.

"Images deleted: go hear to view one shot of "the catch": http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=6550"
Two images of Chicago White Sox center fielder Dewayne Wise (31) leaping over the wall to catch a ball hit by Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Gabe Kapler preserving pitcher Mark Buehrle's perfect game in the ninth inning of an MLB game at US Cellular Field between the White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, won by Chicago 5-0. The quality on these two shots suffered a little in the downsizing process - oh well.

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Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) reacts after the final out in his perfect game 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56-L) leaps into the arms of White Sox catcher Ramon Castro (27-R) after the final out of Buehrle's perfect game, 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56 - center) is all smiles after his perfect game 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

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A shaving creme covered Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) is greeted by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen (R in sunglasses) following Buehrle's perfect game 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

All in all, quite an experience, and one I will never forget. Buehrle was so dominant that there really were no other exceptional defensive plays other than the catch by Wise in the ninth inning.

Thanks for looking.
Dennis

[Tigershark]

Dennis,

great shots that was an awesome catch to save the home run well done

[huntersdad]

Great job on the perfect saving homer. All the shots are excellent.

[Adama]

The shot of Buehrle jumping at Castro is a sport's photographer's dream photo. Congratulations on getting it and being at that historic game.

[sadler21]

Great shots as always Dennis! Those shots w/ Wise are great... the fans expressions are priceless. (And WHY are there fans reaching for the ball!?!)

[Sledhed]

It was a hell of a catch by Wise to save the perfect game. You see the back of the Sun-Times today? Where you standing next to Jerry Lai? Your shots are almost identical.

I'm going to work the Yankees and Sox next week.

[clickclickclick]

BOO! BOO! BOO!..... Not to your photo's but the fact that the rays got stomped.

Awesome shots!

[DDCSD]

Wow, great captures of a classic baseball moment. Great job on the catch.

[RickyH]

I got to shoot my first Sox game this season in April. Ironically, Buehrle was pitching & took a no hitter into the 7th. The team photographer was joking with a few of us first timers that he'd never shot a no hitter before & we might get to do it on our first shot. it didn't happen, but congrats to you for being able to document one.

[dmwierz]

Thanks, everybody. Yep, Jerry Lai was next to me in the photo well. In the ninth inning, most of the still photographers headed to positions behind the White Sox dugout, or in one case, up onto the second deck concourse. He and I lucked out as the only two who were in position to get shots of Wise's catch.

[slkfis]

The quality on these two shots suffered a little in the downsizing process - oh well.OH, I should be so lucky! I,m not sure what I envy the most the quality of the shots or being in attendance at a MLB perfect game. Every fans dream. Other than the Cubs winning a series.

Great job!

slkfis

[uwplattneer]

Awesome shots! What a great game to have witnessed!

[Shackbully]

Awesome shot!!

[Fade2]

You're one lucky guy!
You had the best seat in the house and took full advantage of it because these are some GREAT SHOTS!

Those Dewayne Wise shots are priceless!
Great work. bw!

[JustinL]

Excellent job Dennis. So what's that, 18 pitchers in all of MLB history to accomplish such a thing?

[Zivnuska]

Thanks, everybody. Yep, Jerry Lai was next to me in the photo well. In the ninth inning, most of the still photographers headed to positions behind the White Sox dugout, or in one case, up onto the second deck concourse. He and I lucked out as the only two who were in position to get shots of Wise's catch.

Wow! In a game like this where it becomes more and more obvious that this is likely to be memorable and very highly covered, how many images will a typical pro photographer take?

If anybody doubts the importance of backgrounds, they only need look at this weeks SI cover shot for proof that it does. Wonderful stuff Dennis.

[AxxisPhoto]

Dennis.

Great shots! And you've captured a piece of history.

[Bkolowski111]

Congratulations on getting to photograph history. Great shots too.

[dmwierz]

Wow! In a game like this where it becomes more and more obvious that this is likely to be memorable and very highly covered, how many images will a typical pro photographer take?

If anybody doubts the importance of backgrounds, they only need look at this weeks SI cover shot for proof that it does. Wonderful stuff Dennis.

Phil,

Thanks. The shot on this week's SI cover was taken by Ron Vesely, the White Sox team shooter. As soon as I saw this shot on Ron's SportsShooter page I knew this would be the cover this week. Ron saw my SS page right after he had updated his own page and emailed me Thursday night regarding my Wise catch and said he was behind the plate getting set up for his money shot (the one of the scoreboard) and as a result he had missed the catch.

At the start of the ninth inning, I had thought about getting ready for the scoreboard shot myself, but knew Ron was already there, so I stayed where I was and got lucky by being in position to capture the catch.

Unfortunately for my hopes of landing a double truck in SI, Jerry Lai's excellent shots of the catch beat me to market (he was working the game for a wire service and I was working for a publication thus I was more restricted in releasing the images). However, my shots may have life in the editorial World yet, so don't cry for me Argentina.

[Adama]

I imagine you guys, particularly the freelance shooters, are just as tense as the pitchers throwing the gems are. 162 games a season for each team, and the photographers, who were just there under the likely pretense that it was just another regular afternoon at the ballpark, are about to get some very valuable shots on their hands if the pitcher can only make that no-no happen.

[Nick5]

Dennis.
Great shots.
That catch is an all timer.
Gotta love a perfect game.

[Zivnuska]

Dennis,

Tell us a little of what it was like: the growing anticipation for the crowd and in particular, how do all the pro shooters react when a game ceases to be just one of 162 and quickly transitions to a moment of baseball history. When did the photogs start to psyche up and how did they change their normal routine?

Phil

[dmwierz]

NB: I've taken down the shots of the Wise catch and put a link to my SportsShooter page, in an effort to protect a persnickety customer. Feel free to follow this link if you'd like http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=6550

Phil, you know media aren't supposed to be fans, so the most emotion I saw out of anyone was in the eight inning after the last out when one of the other photog's mouthed the word "WOW" to me. After Wise's catch in the top of the ninth, we all looked at each other in amazement, then QUICKLY chimped to see if we got the catch. The photo wells filled up with talking heads and their camera peeps before the top of the ninth, and they were all transmitting to their TV stations live. Fortunately, they didn't elbow their ways to the front or otherwise interfere with me/us.

The crowd was amazing, though. They were cheering every out from the 7th inning on, and by the ninth the roar was deafening. There were some 28,000 fans in attendance, but they sounded like a full house by the end of the game.

Just goes to show what one of the things I love best about a sporting event: on any given day something magical just might happen.

After the game ended it was all I could do not to join in the cheering, but once again, it's drilled into you so effectively that this isn't appropriate that you just don't do it.

BTW, I heard from the White Sox team photographer that a copy of my shot of the catch now hangs in the lobby of the White Sox front office, and will hopefully survive long after I hang up my cameras and lenses.

[DDCSD]

NB: I've taken down the shots of the Wise catch and put a link to my SportsShooter page, in an effort to protect a persnickety customer. Feel free to follow this link if you'd like http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=6550


Just curious, why is it OK to have it on the SS page and not here? I'm not questioning your decision at all (I wouldn't have put them up in either place for a very long time :)), just curious.

[Darsk47]

Wow - Dennis , great stuff as always.

Nice capture on the big catch. That's one for the ages !!

[dmwierz]

Just curious, why is it OK to have it on the SS page and not here? I'm not questioning your decision at all (I wouldn't have put them up in either place for a very long time :)), just curious.

Probably 'cuz SportsShooter is considered to be self-promotional, and POTN isn't and posting the images for self-promotion is allowed.

[DDCSD]

Probably 'cuz SportsShooter is considered to be self-promotional, and POTN isn't and posting the images for self-promotion is allowed.


I see, that does make some sense. SS and POTN are certainly different venues.