Dirk Lammers's Blog, page 105
January 13, 2016
Bob Forsch, threw 2 no-hitters, born 66 years ago today
Bob ForschBob Forsch, who threw no-hitters in 1978 and 1983 for the St. Louis Cardinals, was born 65 years ago today. On April 16, 1978, Forsch no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies for a 5-0 win. On Sept. 26, 1983, the right-hander from Sacramento, California threw a 3-0 no-no against the Montreal Expos. Forsch died in Weeki Wachee, Florida in 2011.
Forsch’s brother, Ken Forsch, also threw a no-hitter while with the Houston Astros – a 6-0 win on over the Atlanta Braves on April 7, 1979.
January 12, 2016
Carlton, holds modern-day NL one-hitter record, elected to Hall 22 years ago today
Steve Carlton, one of most proficient major league pitchers not to throw a no-hitter, was elected to the Hall of Fame 22 years ago today.
The 329-game winner never even reached the ninth inning with a no-hitter intact, but he holds the modern-day National League record for one-hitters with six.
On July 4, 1979, Carlton retired 19 New York Mets in a row at Veterans Stadium before Elliott Maddox killed his perfecto by driving a double to the left-center field gap. Carlton held on for the 1-0 complete-game one-hitter, having scored the game’s only run in the third. Carlton hit a one-out double, and Bake McBride followed with another.
Bob Feller and Nolan Ryan share the major league record with 12 one-hitters, but all of Feller’s one-ers were thrown for the AL’s Cleveland Indians, and only three of Ryan’s one-hitters (one for Mets, two for Astros) were thrown in the NL.
“Old Hoss” Radbourn threw seven NL one-hitters for the Providence Grays, Boston Beaneaters and the Cincinnati Reds back in the game’s early days.
January 11, 2016
McIntire, threw 10 2/3 no-hit innings in 1906, born 137 years ago today
A Harry McIntire American Tobacco Company cardHarry McIntire, who threw 10⅔ innings of no-hit ball for the Brooklyn Superbas in 1906 before losing his no-no, was born 137 years ago today.
On Wednesday, August 1, 1906, at Brooklyn’s Washington Park, McIntire was no-hitting the Pittsburgh Pirates into the 11th inning, but his Brooklyn teammates couldn’t squeeze out a run. With two out in the top of the 11th, the Pirates’ Claude Ritchey singled to kill the no-hitter.
“Perhaps it was the shower that occurred with Ritchey at the bat at that interesting point which broke McIntire’s phenomenal streak,” noted the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. “At any rate, when play resumed, Ritchey laced a clean single to left, which had no other effect for the time being than to spoil a brilliant performance.
“Previous to that, it looked as if the Pirates could have batted against him for a week and never make any impression.”
McIntire, a righthander from Dayton, Ohio, got through the 11th and 12th with a one-hitter intact, but a trifecta of hits in the top of the 13th netted the Pirates a run. Bob Ganley led off with a single, Honus Wagner doubled and Nealon laced a hit to left to drive home Ganley. McIntire minimized the damage with a double play, and Wagner was thrown out while trying to steal home.
McIntire made one more effort to secure a win by leading off the bottom of the 13th, but his teammates left him stranded and the Pirates’ “Lefty” Leifield got the 1-0 13-inning win.
January 10, 2016
Cliff Chambers, threw ’51 no-no for Pirates, born 94 years ago today
Cliff ChambersCliff Chambers, who threw a 1951 no-hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was born 94 years ago today.
During the second game of a Sunday, May 6, 1951, doubleheader at Braves Field, Chambers no-hit the Boston Braves for a 3-0 win. Chambers walked twice as many batters (8) as he struck out (4) and threw two wild pitches, but helped his cause with an RBI single in the eighth inning for an insurance run.
January 9, 2016
Palmer elected to Hall, 26 years ago today
Jim PalmerJim Palmer, who threw a no-hitter for the Baltimore Orioles in 1969, was elected to the Hall of Fame, 26 years ago today.
At Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, August 13, 1969, Palmer no-hit the Oakland Athletics for an 8-0 win. Palmer walked six batters while striking out eight to improve to 11-2 on the season. He finished the year with a 16-4 record and a 2.34 ERA. Palmer won his Cy Young Awards in 1973, ’75 and ’76.
January 8, 2016
Baltimore Orioles franchise that became the Yankees relocated to New York, 113 years ago today
George Mogridge threw the New York Yankees’ first no-hitter in 1917, a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.The Baltimore Orioles franchise that would eventually become known as the New York Yankees moved to Manhattan, 113 years ago today.
The Orioles, a charter franchise of the American League in 1901, posted a 68-65 record that year but slipped to 50-88 in the 1902 season. The Orioles had been wrought with financial problems, but on Jan. 8, 1903, Frank Farrell and Bill Devery bought the club for $18,000 and moved the team to Manhattan to become the New York Highlanders.
The Highlanders played their games at Hilltop Park until 1913, when the the team moved to the Polo Grounds. The nickname “Yankees,” which had started appearing in newspaper columns, was officially adopted in 1913.
George Mogridge threw the Yankees’ first no-hitter in 1917 at Boston’s Fenway Park. The Yankees moved to the Bronx in 1922 to play ball in the newly built Yankee Stadium, but it would be 16 years before the House That Ruth Built would see its first Yankees no-no (“Sad” Sam Jones threw his 1923 no-no against the Philadelphia Athletics on the road at Shibe Park). The entire list of Yankees no-hitters can be viewed here.
Gaylord Perry, threw ’68 Giants no-no, elected to Hall 25 years ago today
Gaylord PerryGaylord Perry, who threw a no-hitter for San Francisco Giants in 1968, was elected to the Hall of Fame 25 years ago today.
On Tuesday, September 17, 1968 at Candlestick Park, Perry no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals for a 1-0 win. The Giants didn’t get much time to celebrate, as the Cardinals’ Ray Washburn returned the favor by no-hitting the Giants for a 2-0 win the very next day.
Perry posted a 314-265 record with a 3.11 ERA over a 22-year career.
(Feature photograph 1983-APRIL-SF-GIANTS-ROLL-KC64_0032by David Prasad licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
January 7, 2016
Gene Collins, threw Negro Leagues no-hitter, born 91 years ago today
My autographed photo of Gene Collins.Eugene Marvin Collins, a lefty who threw a 1949 no-hitter for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League, was born 91 years ago today.
On Sunday, May 22, 1949, Collins no-hit the Houston Eagles for a 14-0 victory that may have been called early due to the mercy rule. Collins, a Kansas City native, was later signed by the Chicago White Sox but didn’t make it out of the minors. He also played in the Mexican League.
Also today, we are debuting on the site a list of Negro Leagues no-hitters that will appear in Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders: More Than a Century of Pitching’s Greatest Feats when it’s released in March. The list, put together by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) Negro League Committee and Noir Tech Research, is perhaps the best when the goal is to look at feats considered on par with those thrown in the preintegrated majors. It includes pre–Negro League games between legitimately top-level black teams irrespective of a league affiliation. It also includes a number of interleague games, postseason games, and exhibition games between teams comprising top-level Negro League players.
Happy 32nd birthday, Jon Lester
Jon Lester (Photo by Dirk Lammers)Happy 32nd birthday to Jon Lester, who threw a no-hitter for the Boston Red Sox in 2008.
On Monday, May 19, 2008, at Fenway Park, Lester no-hit the Kansas City Royals for a 7-0 victory. Lester struck out nine and walked two, and he also committed a throwing error while trying to pick Miguel Olivo off first base in the second inning. It took him 130 pitches, but Lester was able to complete his gem by striking out Alberto Callaspo as reliever Chris Smith warmed up in the bullpen.
It was the fourth no-hitter caught by the Red Sox’s Jason Varitek, setting a major league record. That record was tied by Carlos Ruiz this past season.
January 6, 2016
Mike Piazza, catcher of 2 no-hitters, headed to Hall
Mike Piazza by slgckgc licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0Mike Piazza, who caught Los Angeles Dodgers no-hitters from Ramón Martínez and Hideo Nomo, is headed to the Hall of Fame.
On Friday, July 14, 1995, at Dodger Stadium, Piazza was behind the plate as Martínez no-hit the Florida Marlins for a 7-0 victory. On Tuesday, September 17, 1996, at Coors Field, Piazza caught Nomo’s 9-0 no-no against the Colorado Rockies.
Congrats, Mike!
