
Satchel Paige (Courtesy of the Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, Detroit Public Library)
On Monday, July 4, 1983, in front of more than 41,000 fans at Yankee Stadium, Righetti no-hit the Boston Red Sox for a 4-0 win. Righetti struck out nine and walked four in the game, catching the pesky Wade Boggs lunging for a breaking ball to complete the no-no.
You have to go back another 49 years for the next July 4 no-no, and it was thrown in a Negro Leagues match-up between Paige’s Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays. Paige struck out 17 batters in the game for the second of his two documented no-hitters (he likely threw many more).
The next Fourth of July no-no was thrown on July 4, 1912, during the second game of a Thursday doubleheader, Mullin no-hit the St. Louis Browns for a 7-0 win at Navin Field. Mullin was also born on the Fourth of July back in 1880.
The third July 4 no-no was nearly a perfect game. On July 4, 1908, during the first game of a Saturday doubleheader at the Polo Grounds, Wiltse was perfect before hitting the Philadelphia Phillies’ George McQuillen with a pitch. Wiltse finished with a 10-inning 1-0 no-hitter.
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