The Boston Red Sox’s “Bullet” Joe Bush would have notched his second no-hitter 100 years ago today if not for a bat thrown at a ball in the first inning of the contest.
Bush, pitching through persistent rain showers at Fenway Park on Tuesday, May 28, 1918, tossed a 1-0 one-hitter against the World Champion Chicago White Sox. The only hit off Bush came in the first inning after Eddie Collins drew a two-out walk and Happy Felsch threw his bat at the ball on a hit-and-run play for a single to right. Collins and Felsch reached second an third on a wild pitch, but Bush recovered to strike out Buck Weaver to keep the inning scoreless.
Bush provided the game’s only RBI in the fifth by singing off White Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte with runners on first and second, scoring Fred Thomas.
Bush threw a no-hitter two years earlier as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics. On Saturday, August 26, 1916, at Shibe Park, Bush no-hit the Cleveland Indians for a 5-0 win.
