Dirk Lammers's Blog, page 100
February 26, 2016
Happy birthday Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland AlexanderHappy 129th birthday to Grover Cleveland Alexander, one of the greatest pitchers not to throw a no-hitter.
Alexander compiled a 373-208 record with a 2.56 ERA over a 20-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. “Ol’ Pete” came close to a no-no in 1915. He was dominating the St. Louis Cardinals on June 5, 1915, and was one out away from a no-hitter when Cardinals shortstop Artie Butler popper a single into short center field. Alexander held on for a 3-0 complete-game one-hit shutout. It was the first one of his four career one-hitters.
February 25, 2016
No-no thrower Wise dealt for Carlton, 44 years ago today
Rick WiseThe Philadelphia Phillies traded no-no pitcher Rick Wise to the St. Louis Cardinals for Steve Carlton, 44 years ago today.
The February 25, 1972, trade came in the offseason following Wise’s no-no. On Wednesday, June 23, 1971, at Riverfront Stadium, Wise no-hit the Cincinnati Reds for a 4-0 Phillies win.
Wise pitched 11 more years in the majors, posting a 113-105 record with the Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres.
Carlton, who was elected to the Hall of Fame, posted a 241-161 record during 15 season with with the Phillies before finishing out his career with brief stints with the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins.
But Carlton never threw a no-hitter, settling for the modern-day National League record for one-hitters with six.
February 24, 2016
Adonis Terry, threw 2 Brooklyn no-nos, died 101 years ago today
Adonis TerryAdonis Terry, who threw two early no-hitters for the Brooklyn franchise that became eventually the Dodgers, died 101 years ago today.
Terry took the mound for the Brooklyn Grays on Saturday, July 24, 1886, to face the St. Louis Browns in an American Association match-up. He held the Browns hitless at Washington Park for a 1-0 win. On Sunday, May 27, 1888, with his team now known as the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, Terry no-hit the Louisville Colonels for a 4-0 win at Ridgewood Park.
The no-nos were the second and third for the franchise, which now boasts a major league leading total of 25 no-hitters leading up to the current Los Angeles Dodgers.
February 23, 2016
Crews begin demolishing Ebbets Field, home to 7 no-hitters, 56 years ago today
Carl Erskine threw Ebbets Field no-nos in ’52 and ’56Crews began demolishing Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field, home to seven no-hitters, 56 years ago today.
Five of those no-hitters were thrown by Brooklyn Robins/Dodgers, and the other two were thrown by opponents. The one thrown by Cincinnati’s Johnny Vander Meer completed his second consecutive no-no, a seemingly unbreakable major league record.
Carl Erskine is the only one to throw two no-nos at Ebbets, in 1952 and 1956.
A “dignified, quiet” wake on Feb. 23, 1960, drew just 200 fans to the ballpark, as guest of honor Roy Campanella was presented with his No. 39 jersey and a locker.
“The long funeral started today and it will take 10 months for the internment to be completed,” noted the AP.
Here are the no-hitters thrown at Ebbets Field:
1
Charles "Dazzy" Vance
Brooklyn Robins (NL)
Sunday, September 13, 1925 (First game of doubleheader)
Brooklyn Robins 10, Philadelphia Phillies 1
Ebbets Field (Brooklyn)
2
Paul Dean
St. Louis Cardinals (NL)
Friday, September 21, 1934 (Second game of doubleheader)
St. Louis Cardinals 3, Brooklyn Dodgers 0
Ebbets Field (Brooklyn)
(Dean breaks the longest no-hitter drought in Major League baseball history in terms of game days at 535, a record that stands today.)
3
Johnny Vander Meer
Cincinnati Reds (NL)
Wednesday, June 15, 1938
Cincinnati Reds 6, Brooklyn Dodgers 0
Ebbets Field (Brooklyn)
(His second of two no-hitters; with no hitter above against Boston, Vander Meer is the only pitcher to have thrown no-hitters in consecutive starts.)
4
Ed Head
Brooklyn Dodgers (NL)
Tuesday, April 23, 1946
Brooklyn Dodgers 5, Boston Braves 0
Ebbets Field (Brooklyn)
5
Carl Erskine
Brooklyn Dodgers (NL)
Thursday, June 19, 1952
Brooklyn Dodgers 5, Chicago Cubs 0
Ebbets Field (Brooklyn)
(His first of two no-hitters)
6
Carl Erskine
Brooklyn Dodgers (NL)
Saturday, May 12, 1956
Brooklyn Dodgers 3, New York Giants 0
Ebbets Field (Brooklyn)
(His second of two no-hitters)
7
Sal Maglie
Brooklyn Dodgers (NL)
Tuesday, September 25, 1956
Brooklyn Dodgers 5, Philadelphia Phillies 0
Ebbets Field (Brooklyn)
Note that Fred Frankhouse also threw 7 2/3 innings of a no-hitter at Ebbets in 1937 before rain ended the contest and gave the Dodgers a 5-0 win over the Reds.
February 22, 2016
Steve Barber, threw 8 2/3 innings of a no-hit loss, born 78 years ago today
Steve BarberSteve Barber, who threw 8⅔ innings of a 9-inning no-hit loss in 1967, was born 78 years ago today.
On Sunday, April 30, 1967, during the first game of doubleheader at Memorial Stadium, Barber held the Detroit Tigers hitless through eight innings despite struggling with his control. He entered the ninth with a 1-0 lead, but that’s when the wheels came off.
Two walks, a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error tied the game without a hit, and Orioles manager Hank Bauer yanked Barber from the game with two out after he issued his 10th walk. Stu Miller took over and he enticed what seemed like a ground out, but second baseman Mark Belanger dropped Luis Aparicio’s throw and the Tigers had a 2-1 lead, still without a hit.
The Orioles went down 1-2-3, and Barber/Miller duplicated a feat reached only by the Houston Colt .45’s Ken Johnson — a 9-inning, no-hit loss.
February 21, 2016
Seaver signs for $172K, 42 years ago today, but it doesn’t buy a Mets’ no-no
Tom SeaverHall of Famer Tom Seaver signed a New York Mets contract for $172,000 per year to become the highest paid player, 42 years ago today.
But that money couldn’t buy the Mets a no-hitter, as “Tom Terrific” couldn’t accomplish the feat until after he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. The no-no occurred on Friday, June 16, 1978, just a day after the one-year anniversary of the trade that broke Mets’ fans spirit. Seaver struck out three St. Louis Cardinals and walked three for a 4-0 win at Riverfront Stadium.
The June 15, 1977, trade sent Seaver to the Reds in exchange for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. That same day, New York dealt fan favorite Dave Kingman to the San Diego Padres for Bobby Valentine and Paul Siebert.
While with the Mets, Seaver thrice lost no-nos in the ninth.
February 20, 2016
Scherzer says there will be no no-no to tie Vander Meer
Johnny Vander Meer threw back-to-back no-hitters in 1938.For the third straight off-season, we’re on active Johnny Vander Meer watch.
Max Scherzer threw a no-hitter on the penultimate day of the 2015 season, blanking the New York Mets 2-0. That means he could theoretically tie Vander Meer’s major-league of back-to-back no-hitters record by tossing one in his first start of the 2016 season. Could it happen?
No way, according to the SB Nation-Federal Baseball blog, as early-season pitch counts and big-money contracts don’t let star arms go deep into early games.
“I’m not throwing a no-hitter Opening Day,” Scherzer said. “I can’t — it’s just not going to happen.”
It didn’t happen the previous two season either. The Nationals’ Jordan Zimmermann tossed a no-no on the final day of the 2014 season. He got the start against the Mets in the second game of the 2015 season and got the W, but he gave up one run on six hits in six innings worth of work.
The Miami Marlins’ Henderson Álvarez no-hit the Detroit Tigers on the final game of the 2013 season on a walk-off wild pitch, but things didn’t go as well in his next start. In the third game of the Marlins’ 2014 season, the Colorado Rockies sent Álvarez to the showers after just three innings when the righty gave up six runs on seven hits.
No-no birthday wishes to Verlander, Wright, Wilson, Davenport
Dave Davenport pitched the fifth (and final) no-hitter in the Federal League for the St. Louis Terriers.Happy birthday to four no-no pitchers: Justin Verlander, who threw two no-nos for the Detroit Tigers, Clyde Wright, who threw one for the California Angels, Jim Wilson, who tossed one for the Milwaukee Braves, and Dave Davenport, who threw one for the St. Louis Terriers of the Federal League.
Verlander, who turns 33 today, threw his on:
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Detroit Tigers 4, Milwaukee Brewers 0
Comerica Park (Detroit)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Detroit Tigers 9, Toronto Blue Jays 0
Rogers Centre (Toronto)
Wright, who turns 75, threw his on:
Friday, July 3, 1970
California Angels 4, Oakland Athletics 0
Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim)
Wilson, born 94 years ago on this day, threw his on:
Sunday, June 12, 1954
Milwaukee Braves 2, Philadelphia Phillies 0
Milwaukee County Stadium (Milwaukee)
Davenport, born 126 years ago on this day, threw his on:
Tuesday, September 7, 1915 (First game of doubleheader)
St. Louis Terriers 3, Chicago Chi-Feds/Whales 0
Handlan’s Park (St. Louis)
February 19, 2016
Happy 59th birthday to Dave Stewart
Dave Stewart’s 1991 Score No-Hit Club cardHappy 59th birthday to Arizona Diamondbacks General Manager Dave Stewart, who threw a no-hitter for the Oakland Athletics in 1990.
On Friday, June 29, 1990, Stewart no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays for a 5-0 victory at the Skydome. Hours later and thousands of miles away, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals for a 6-0 win at Dodger Stadium.
The games marked only the second time that no-hitters were thrown on the same day. The other two were back in 1898:
Ted Breitenstein
Cincinnati Reds (NL)
Friday, April 22, 1898
Cincinnati Reds 11, Pittsburgh Pirates 0
League Park (Cincinnati)
Jim Jay Hughes
Baltimore Orioles (NL)
Friday, April 22, 1898
Baltimore Orioles 8, Boston Beaneaters 0
Union Park (Baltimore)
February 18, 2016
Happy birthday George Mogridge, pitched NY Yankees’ first no-no
George Mogridge threw the New York Yankees’ first no-hitter in 1917, a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.Happy 128th birthday to George Mogridge, who pitched the New York Yankees’ first no-hitter on April 24, 1917, a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Also born on this date in 1875 is Walter Thornton, who threw a Chicago Orphans no-hitter
against the Brooklyn Bridegrooms at West Side Park during the second game of a Sunday doubleheader on August 21, 1898. Chicago topped Brooklyn 2-0.
