John Montgomery Ward, who threw the majors’ second perfect game in 1880, was born 156 years ago today. Ward threw his perfecto for the National League’s Providence Grays on June 17, 1880, shutting out the Buffalo Bisons 5-0 at the Messer Street Grounds in Providence. Beating him to the punch five days earlier was Lee…
The Miami Hurricanes narrowly avoided falling victim to a no-hitter on Sunday, extending the school’s 52-year-old no-hit streak to 3,181 games. In the ninth inning of the Canes’ game against the Florida Gators, Carl Chester led off by reaching base on an error before Chris Barr lined a single over short, according to the Miami…
Happy 54th birthday to San Francisco Giants pitching coach Mark Gardner, who threw nine no-hit innings in 1991 but lost the game in extra innings. Pitching at Dodger Stadium on Friday, July 26, 1991, Gardner no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers through nine, but the Montreal Expos couldn’t score a run, leaving the game locked in…
Four years ago today, on March 1, 2012, Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek announced his retirement. Varitek was the first major league catcher behind the plate for four no-hitters. (Carlos Ruiz tied the record in 2015). Here are Varitek’s four: 1 Hideo Nomo Boston Red Sox (AL) Wednesday, April 4, 2001Boston Red…
No major-league pitcher has ever thrown two perfect games in a year, but one major-league outfielder has bowled two of them. The Boston Red Sox’s Mookie Betts has notched two 300s this off-season on the alleys, setting a mark that no MLB hurler has matched on the mound. For a list of the 23 non-bowling…
Fifty years ago today, Los Angeles Dodgers aces Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale refused to report to camp in Vero Beach, Florida, and began their holdout for a multi-year deal giving them a total of $1 million. The dispute was apparently over the length of the contract more than the pitchers’ potential $167,000 annual salaries,…