Two-time no-no thrower and eventual Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson became a member of the New York Giants, 115 years ago today. On December 15, 1900, the Cincinnati Reds dealt Mathewson to the Giants for Amos Rusie, an eight-time 20-game winner who hadn’t played ball since the 1898 season. The two pitchers were responsible for…
"Toothpick" Sam Jones, the first African-American to throw a Major League Baseball no-hitter, was born 90 years ago today. Jones, pitching for the Chicago Cubs on May 12, 1955, no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates for a 4-0 win at Wrigley Field. He completed an accomplishment that likely would have been preceded by such Negro Leagues greats…
Happy 89th birthday to Carl Erskine, who threw two no-hitters for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Erskine threw his first against the Chicago Cubs at Ebbets Field on Thursday, June 19, 1952, for a 5-0 win. He followed it up four years later with a Saturday, May 12, 1956, no-no against the New York Giants for a…
Happy 33rd birthday to Ervin Santana, who threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians in 2011 despite allowing the leadoff hitter to score. On Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at Jacobs Field, Santana led the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-1 win over the Tribe without allowing a single hit. But he did allow a run,…
A couple of Deadball Era no-no throwers are celebrating birthday’s today. Happy 161st to Charles ‘Old Hoss’ Radbourn, who threw a no-hitter for the Providence Grays on Wednesday, July 25, 1883. Radbourn no-hit the Cleveland Blues at Cleveland’s Kennard Street Park for an 8-0 victory. And a happy 127th birthday to the Cincinnati Reds’ Fred…
Opening Day no-no thrower Bob Feller became the first player to enlist in the military after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, 74 years ago today. Feller, who had just completed a 25-13 season — the third straight in which he led the league in victories — enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a chief boatswain’s mate…