With MLB and the Players Association approving seven-inning doubleheaders for the (likely short) remainder of the 2020 season starting today, we thought we’d look at the uncredited seven-inning no-hitters thrown over baseball’s history.
Such accomplishments were considered official no-hitters until September 1991, when baseball’s committee for statistical accuracy, chaired by then MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent, established an official definition of a no-hitter calling it “a game in which a pitcher or pitchers complete a game of nine innings or more without allowing a hit.”
That means that under current rules, any pitcher who throws a 7-inning no-hitter this season during a no-hitter will not be credited with an official no-no. But they’d have some company. Thirteen pitchers have thrown major-league no-hitters of seven or more innings but less than the required nine, and two of those (Jake Weimer’s Reds no-hitter in 1906 Ed Karger’s Cardinals perfecto in 1907) were scheduled as 7-inning games.
Here are the 13 instances:
| 1 | Charlie Geggus |
|---|---|
| Washington Nationals (UA) | |
| Thursday, August 21, 1884 Washington Nationals 12, Wilmington Quicksteps 1 (8 innings) Capitol Grounds (Washington) (Game called by consent.) |
|
| 2 | Ed Crane |
| New York Giants (NL) | |
| Thursday, September 27, 1888 New York Giants 3, Washington Nationals 0 (7 innings) Polo Grounds (New York) (Game called due to darkness.) |
|
| 3 | Matt Kilroy |
| Baltimore Orioles (AA) | |
| Saturday, July 29, 1889 (Second game of doubleheader) Baltimore Orioles 0, St. Louis Browns 0 (7 innings) Oriole Park (Baltimore) (Game called due to darkness.) |
|
| 4 | George Nicol |
| St. Louis Browns (AA) | |
| Tuesday, September 23, 1890 St. Louis Browns 21, Philadelphia Athletics 2 (7 innings) Sportsman’s Park (St. Louis) (Game called due to darkness.) |
|
| 5 | Hank Gastright |
| Columbus Solons (AA) | |
| Sunday, October 12, 1890 Columbus Solons 6, Toledo Maumees 0 (8 innings) Recreation Park (Columbus) (Game called due to darkness.) |
|
| 6 | Elton “Ice Box” Chamberlain |
| Cincinnati Reds (NL) | |
| Saturday, September 23, 1893 (Second game of doubleheader) Cincinnati Reds 6, Boston Beaneaters 0 (7 innings) League Park (Cincinnati) (Game called due to darkness.) |
|
| 7 | Jake Weimer |
| Cincinnati Reds (NL) | |
| Friday, August 24, 1906 (Second game of doubleheader) Cincinnati Reds 1, Brooklyn Superbas 0 (7 innings) Palace of the Fans (Cincinnati) (Nightcap planned as 7-inning game.) |
|
| 8 | GRANT “STONEY” McGLYNN |
| St. Louis Cardinals (NL) | |
| Monday, September 24, 1906 (Second game of doubleheader) St. Louis Cardinals 1, Brooklyn Superbas 1 (7 innings) Washington Park (Brooklyn) (Game called due to darkness.) |
|
| 9 | Ed Karger |
| St. Louis Cardinals (NL) | |
| Sunday, August 11, 1907 (Second game of doubleheader) St. Louis Cardinals 4, Boston Doves 0 (7 innings) Robison Field (St. Louis) (Perfect game; nightcap planned as 7-inning game.) |
|
| 10 | Len “King” Cole |
| Chicago Cubs (NL) | |
| Sunday, July 31, 1910 (Second game of doubleheader) Chicago Cubs 4, St. Louis Cardinals 0 (7 innings) Robison Field (St. Louis) (Teams agreed to call the game at 5 p.m. Central so teams could catch their trains.) |
|
| 11 | Walter Johnson |
| Washington Senators (AL) | |
| Monday, August 25, 1924 (First game of doubleheader) Washington Senators 2, St. Louis Browns 0 (7 innings) Griffith Stadium (Washington, D.C.) (Game called due to rain; Second game of doubleheader canceled.) |
|
| 12 | Fred Frankhouse |
| Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) | |
| Friday, August 27, 1937 (First game of doubleheader) Brooklyn Dodgers 5, Cincinnati Reds 0 (8 innings) Ebbets Field (Brooklyn) Opener called due to rain after 7 2/3 (second game of doubleheader canceled) |
|
| 13 | “Toothpick” Sam Jones |
| San Francisco Giants (NL) | |
| Friday, September 26, 1959 San Francisco Giants 4, St. Louis Cardinals 0 (7 innings) Busch Stadium I (St. Louis) (Game called due to rain.) |
