Dirk Lammers's Blog, page 104
January 21, 2016
Benz, threw 5th White Sox no-hitter, born 130 years ago today
Joe BenzJoe Benz, who threw the fifth a no-hitter in Chicago White Sox history, was born 130 years ago today.
At Comiskey Park, on Sunday, May 31, 1914, Benz no-hit the Cleveland Naps for a 6-1 win in a game with six total blunders, three by each time.
“Errors were plentiful on both sides,” noted one newspaper report. “Two of Chicago’s came together in the fourth round to produce Cleveland’s run.”
The Naps’ run was scored by Roy Wood, who reached base and advanced to second on an errant throw by Sox shortstop Buck Weaver. Wood took third when third baseman Scotty Alcock muffed Weaver’s assist on Rivington Bisland’s grounder, then scored when Jack Graney grounded into a no-out double play.
Benz also issued two walks during the game, but both of those base runners were sent back to the dugout on double plays.
January 20, 2016
Happy birthday to Tony Mullane, 1 of 2 no-no throwers born in Ireland
Tony MullaneHappy birthday to Tony Mullane, one of two no-nos thrower born in Ireland.
Mullane, born 157 years ago today in the Irish city of Cork, threw a no-hitter for the American Association’s Louisville Eclipse on Monday, September 11, 1882, shutting out the Cincinnati Red Stockings 2-0 on the road at the Bank Street Grounds.
“The Eclipse met the Cincinnatis this evening and licked ’em like the devil,” noted a report in the Louisville Courier-Journal. “Cincinnati played a fair fielding game, but never made a hit. The Eclipse played with confidence, and the wind was in their favor.”
Mullane pitched for 13 years in the big leagues, compiling a 284-220 record with a 3.05 ERA. He also holds the major league record for most wild pitches with 343 — throwing 63 of them during his 1884 season with the Toledo Blue Stockings.
Note that Hugh Daily, who tossed a no-no for the Cleveland Blues in 1883, was also born in Ireland.
Happy birthday to Tony Mullane, the only no-no thrower born in Ireland
Tony MullaneHappy birthday to Tony Mullane, the only no-no thrower born in Ireland.
Mullane, born 157 years ago today in the Irish city of Cork, threw a no-hitter for the American Association’s Louisville Eclipse on Monday, September 11, 1882, shutting out the Cincinnati Red Stockings 2-0 on the road at the Bank Street Grounds.
“The Eclipse met the Cincinnatis this evening and licked ’em like the devil,” noted a report in the Louisville Courier-Journal. “Cincinnati played a fair fielding game, but never made a hit. The Eclipse played with confidence, and the wind was in their favor.”
Mullane pitched for 13 years in the big leagues, compiling a 284-220 record with a 3.05 ERA. He also holds the major league record for most wild pitches with 343 — throwing 63 of them during his 1884 season with the Toledo Blue Stockings.
January 19, 2016
Cy Young, threw 3 no-hitters, elected to Hall 79 years ago today
Cy Young baseball cardDenton True “Cy” Young, who won 511 games and threw three no-hitters, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame 79 years ago today.
The righthander from Gilmore, Ohio, was perfect in his second no-no outing. Pitching for the Boston Americans (Red Sox) on Thursday, May 5, 1904, Young retired all 27 Philadelphia Athletics he faced for a 3-0 win at the Huntington Avenue Grounds.
Here are Young’s no-hitters:
1
Cy Young
Cleveland Spiders (NL)
Saturday, September 18, 1897 (First game of doubleheader)
Cleveland Spiders 6, Cincinnati Reds 0
League Park (Cleveland)
2
Cy Young
Boston Americans (AL)
Thursday, May 5, 1904
Boston Americans 3, Philadelphia Athletics 0
Huntington Avenue Grounds (Boston)
(Perfect game)
3
Cy Young
Boston Red Sox (AL)
Tuesday, June 30, 1908
Boston Red Sox 8, New York Highlanders 0
Hilltop Park (New York)
Young ties Larry Corcoran for the major league career record with 3 no-nos. It would be tied once more but not broken until 1965 by Sandy Koufax.
January 18, 2016
Grover Cleveland Alexander, won 373 games but no no-no, elected to Hall 78 years ago today
Grover Cleveland AlexanderGrover Cleveland Alexander, who won 373 career games but none of them ended with a zero in the “H” column, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame 78 years ago today.
Alexander compiled a 373-208 record with a 2.56 ERA over a year career with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Alexander came close 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 Butled 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.
January 17, 2016
Happy 73rd birthday to Denny Doyle, who killed a Padres no-no in ninth
Denny DoyleHappy 73rd birthday to Denny Doyle, one of a couple of players who kept the San Diego Padres from knocking the no-hitter task off the franchise’s bucket list in the club’s early days.
On Tuesday, July 18, 1972, at San Diego Stadium, the Padres’ Steve Arlin took a no-hitter into the ninth and got the inning’s first out. That brought up Doyle, the Philadelphia Phillies’ second baseman. Padres skipper Don Zimmer, looking to guard against a potential bunt, signaled third baseman Dave Roberts to step in, and Doyle singled over Roberts’ head for the first hit. Arlin balked Doyle to second, and Tom Hutton singled him home. Arlin escaped with a 5-1 two-hit complete game.
January 16, 2016
Happy Birthday to Dizzy Dean, brother of no-no thrower Paul Dean
Dizzy Dean (Image courtesy of the Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, Detroit Public Library)Dizzy Dean, the Dean brother who did not pitch a major league no-hitter, was born 106 years ago today.
Dizzy, the elder Dean, enjoyed a 12-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Browns. On Friday, September 21, 1934, he pitched the opener of doubleheader against Brooklyn at Ebbets Field and held the Dodgers to three hits for a 13-0 complete-game win.
Younger brother Paul Dean took the ball for the nightcap and no-hit the Dodgers for a 3-0 win. The no-no broke the longest no-hitter drought in Major League Baseball history in terms of game days at 535, a record that stands today.
Paul Dean compiled a 50-34 record with a 3.75 ERA over a 9-year career that ended in 1943. Dizzy Dean retired in 1947 with a 150-83 record and a 3.02 ERA.
January 15, 2016
Gibson elected to Hall, 35 years ago today
Bob GibsonNo-no thrower Bob Gibson was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, 35 years ago today.
Gibson, who won 251 games over a 17-year playing career spent entirely with the St. Louis Cardinals, received 84 percent of the votes during his first year eligible for the Hall.
On Saturday, August 14, 1971, Gibson no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates for an 11-0 win at Three Rivers Stadium. Gibson struck out 10 and walked three batters while helping his team at the plate with three RBIs. One came on a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and the others reached home on Gibby’s eighth-inning bases-loaded single.
Featured image Three Rivers Stadium by David under license CC BY-ND 2.0.
January 14, 2016
Happy 79th birthday to Sonny Siebert, threw no-hitter for Indians in ’66
Sonny SiebertHappy 79th birthday to Sonny Siebert, who threw a no-hitter for the Cleveland Indians in 1966 after promising the feat to his wife.
Carol Siebert had been ribbing her husband about his pitching struggles, so Sonny had a retort before the June 10, 1966, game against Washington: “I told her, ‘If you don’t get off my back, I’ll go out and pitch a no-hitter,'” he told AP sportswriter Murray Chass.
And the Columbia, Missouri-native made good on his promise. Siebert no-hit the Senators for a 2-0 win at Cleveland Stadium, just missing a perfect game by a walk and a Chico Salmon throwing error.
(Feature image courtesy of the Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, Detroit Public Library)
January 13, 2016
Podcast interview
My good friend Jeffrey Pickett — who may be the next-in-line heir to The Tonight Show — interviewed me via Skype for his Starting Over blog and podcast about taking a risk and writing Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders: More Than a Century of Greatest Feats.
You can visit his blog here and also see the Podcast below.
Click here to view the embedded video.
