Jim “Catfish” Hunter, who threw a 1968 perfect game for the Oakland Athletics, became the highest paid MLB player, 43 years ago today. On Dec. 31, 1974, the New York Yankees signed Hunter to a five-year $3.7 million contract, putting the 28-year-old right-hander in a salary league of his own. Hunter, who spent 10 seasons…
Wishing a happy 82nd birthday to Sandy Koufax, who tossed four no-hitters — one of them perfect — for the 1960s Los Angeles Dodgers. The Brooklyn-born southpaw pitched his no-nos in consecutive years from 1962-’65, culminating with a perfecto over the Chicago Cubs in ’65. The Cubs played nearly 50 years until they were no-hit…
Happy 43rd birthday to Kevin Millwood, who threw a no-hitter in 2003 for the Philadelphia Phillies. At Veterans Stadium on Sunday, April 27, 2003, Millwood no-hit the San Francisco Giants for a 1-0 win. The Phillies were able to notch just four hits in the game, scoring their only run in the first inning on…
Legendary Major League Baseball broadcaster Dick Enberg died Thursday at the age of 82. Enberg had called San Diego Padres games for the past seven years before retiring at the end of the 2017 season. Enberg was a big fan of the no-hitter, saying in his 2004 autobiography Dick Enberg: Oh My! that there’s no…
Happy 35th birthday to Philip Humber, who threw a perfect game for the Chicago White Sox in 2012. On Saturday, April 21, 2012, Humber retired all 27 Seattle Mariners he faced for a 4-0 win at Safeco Field. He struck out nine batters and completed the feat using just 96 pitches. Humber retired in 2016…
Happy 91st 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…