Nolan Ryan pitched seven no-hitters during his Hall of Fame career, but they all came after he was traded by the New York Mets. And Tom Seaver finally got his sole no-hitter as a Cincinnati Red during his first season away from the Mets. In fact, seven former Mets pitched no-hitters after leaving New York. Mike Scott (Houston Astros), Dwight Gooden (New York Yankees) David Cone (Yankees), Hideo Nomo (Boston Red Sox) and Philip Humber (Chicago White Sox) round out the list.

Two others get “honorable mentions: below: Jim Bibby (in Mets organization before throwing no-no but never appeared in Mets game) and

Alejandro Pena (participated in a three-pitcher no-hitter in 1991 as a Brave).

Nolan Ryan

Nolan Ryan signed a contract with the New York Mets organization in 1965 and pitched with the parent club from 1966 to 1971. As a reliever in 1969, Ryan helped the Mets win the team’s first World Series title, but he never really succeeded in New York as a starter. He went 7-11 with a 3.53 ERA in 1970 and 10-14 with a 3.42 ERA in 1971.

So on Dec. 10, 1971, the Mets sent Ryan (and three others: pitcher Don Rose, catcher Francisco Estrada and outfielder Leroy Stanton) to the California Angels in a trade for infielder Jim Fregosi. Turns out the Angels got the better of that deal. Ryan was 19-16 the next year with a 2.28 ERA, and he went on to throw seven no-hitters during his Hall of Fame career:

• May 15, 1973 – California Angles 3, Kansas City Royals 0 in Kansas City
• June 15, 1973 – California Angels 6, Detroit Tigers 0 in Detroit
• Sept. 28, 1974 – California Angels 4, Minnesota Twins 0 in California
• June 1, 1975 – California Angels 1 Baltimore Orioles 0 in California
• Sept. 26, 1981 – Houston Astros 5 Los Angeles Dodgers 0 in Houston
• June 11, 1990 – Texas Rangers 5 Oakland A’s 0 in Oakland
• May 1, 1991 – Texas Rangers 3 Toronto Blue Jays 0 in Texas

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Tom Seaver

George Thomas Seaver is the only Mets player to have his number retired (Gil Hodges and Casey Stengel had their numbers retired as managers), and there’s a good reason why no Met will ever again wear number 41 on his back. “Tom Terrific,” who pitched for the Mets from 1967 to 1977 and again in 1983, won 183 games as a Met, picking up Rookie of the Year honors in 1967 and Cy Young Awards in 1969, 1973 and 1975.

Seaver topped 20 wins in four of Mets seasons, but he was never able to throw a no-no. He did throw five one-hitters for the Mets, including two broken up in the ninth inning. In another game, he lost a no-hitter in the ninth, and that game wound up being an extra-inning three-hitter:

• July 9, 1969 – Mets 4, Chicago Cubs 0 – ninth-inning, one-out single by Jimmy Qualls. Seaver was working on a perfect game through 8 1/3. “A clean hit to left-center-field, and there goes the perfect game,” a matter-of-fact Ralph Kiner declared on-air. The 59,000 fans that packed Shea Stadium that night stood and gave Tom Terrific an ovation as Seaver put his hands on his hips and stared from the mound at the spot where the ball touched green.
• July 4, 1972 – Mets 2, San Diego Padres 0 – ninth-inning, one-out single by Leron Lee
• Sept. 24, 1975 – Mets 2, Chicago Cubs 0 – two-out, ninth-inning single by Joe Wallis (Seaver gave up two more hits in the 10th)

I don’t remember exactly where I was on June 15, 1977, but I remember being pretty pissed off. It was on that day that the Mets dealt Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, and Dan Norman. A year and one day later Seaver would get his elusive no-hitter.

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