Dirk Lammers's Blog, page 64

Galvin tosses most lopsided no-hitter, 133 years ago today

Pud GalvinThe Buffalo Bisons’ Pud Galvin tossed the majors’ most lopsided no-hitter, 133 years ago today.

On Monday, August 4, 1884, at Detroit’s Recreation Park, Galvin no-hit the Detroit Wolverines for an 18-0 win. The Detroit Free Press wasn’t exactly complimentary: “It may not be much of a feat to shut out without a hit such a lot of weak batters as Detroit has managed to consolidate in four seasons, but whatever credit attaches thereto belongs to Galvin.”

The Chicago Cubs’ Jake Arrieta just missed Galvin’s mark last year, no-hitting the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, April 21, 2016, at Great American Ballpark for a 16-0 victory.

Galvin’s 1884 game marked his second no-hitter, the first coming at Buffalo’s Riverside Park on Friday, August 20, 1880, when Galvin no-hit the Worcester Ruby Legs for a 1-0 win.

Galvin, who was born Christmas Day 1856, won 365 games over an 18-year career and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965 by the Veterans Committee.

Osaka’s Miwa no-hits Tokyo, 77 years ago today

The Osaka Tigers’ Hachiro Miwa tossed a Japanese Baseball League no-hitter, 77 years ago today.

On Saturday, August 3, 1940, at Tokyo’s Dairen Stadium, Miwa no-hit Tokyo Kyojin for a 1-0 victory. It was the ninth no-hitter in JBL history.

Miwa spent five years pitching for the Tigers, posting a 32-31 record before dying at the age of 23 while fighting in China during World War II, according to Baseball Reference.

Happy 135th birthday Red Ames, threw 9 innings of no-hit ball on Opening Day

Happy 135th birthday to the New York Giants’ Red Ames, who threw nine innings of no-hit ball on Opening Day in 1909 before giving up a hit in the 10th and losing the game in the 13th.

On April 15, 1909, Ames no-hit the Brooklyn Superbas over nine innings at the Polo Grounds but neither team could score a run, as Brooklyn’s Kaiser Wilhelm held the Giants to just one hit.

The Superbas’ Whitey Alperman tagged Ames for a one-out double to left center in the 10th inning, but Ames stranded Alperman at third to keep the game scoreless. Brooklyn scored three runs in the top of the 13th for the victory, with Ames giving up a total of 7 hits. Wilhelm yielded just four hits.

Rusie throws first New York Giants no-hitter, 126 years ago today

Amos RusieAmos Rusie threw the first New York Giants no-hitter, 126 years ago today.

Rusie, getting the start at the Polo Grounds on Friday, July 31, 1891, Rno-hit the Brooklyn Grooms for a 6-0 win.

According to the New York Times, Rusie injured his hand just a week earlier and it was feared that he might miss some action, but he asked team captain Buck Ewing to get the start against Brooklyn. Rusie did walk seven batters, but the Times said that 16 batters were retired on grounders “of a very weak character.”

Also throwing a no-hitter on this date in 1888 is the Philadelphia Athletics’ Gus Weyhing, who no-hit the Kansas City Cowboys for a 4-0 win at Philly’s Jefferson Street Grounds.

Bibby throws first Rangers no-hitter, 44 years ago today

Jim BibbyJim Bibby threw the first no-hitter in Texas Rangers history, 44 years ago today.

On Monday, July 30, 1973, on the road at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Bibby no-hit the Oakland Athletics for a 6-0 win. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound right-hander relied mostly on his fastball during the contest, struck out 13 A’s batters but walked six.

Shortstop Jim Fregosi saved the no-no in the third, fielding a deep ground ball into the hole off the bat of Ted Kubiak and firing to first for the out. Then in the eighth, Fregosi’s replacement, Pete Mackanin, made back-to-back defensive gems on a Kubiak slow bouncer and a Bill North sharp grounder to keep the no-no intact.

Orioles’ Kilroy tosses 7-inning scoreless no-hitter, 128 years ago today

Matt KilroyMatt Kilroy threw a 7-inning no-hitter that ended in a scoreless tie, 128 years ago today.

Kilroy, pitching for the American Association’s Baltimore Orioles, got the start at Oriole Park on Jluy 29, 1889, for the second game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns.

Umpire Fred Goldsmith called the game due to darkness after 7 innings and an hour and 40 minutes of play with a 0-0 score. The contest was delayed in the third inning after police had to calm the crowd after Goldsmith ruled that Kilroy missed third base while scoring, negating an Orioles run.

The Baltimore Sun called Kilroy’s performance “the best sample of work in the box exhibited on League or Association grounds this season.”

Martinez, Rogers threw perfect games on this date

Two perfect games and one plain old no-hitter were thrown on this date.

At Dodger Stadium on Sunday, July 28, 1991, the Montreal Expos’ Dennis Martínez retired all of the 27 Los Angeles Dodgers he faced for a 2-0 win.

Three years to the day later, on Thursday, July 28, 1994, the Texas Rangers’ Kenny Rogers threw a 4-0 perfecto against the California Angels at The Ballpark at Arlington.

The other no-hitter was a combination effort by the Chicago White Sox’s John “Blue Moon” Odom (5 inn.) and Francisco Barrios (4 inn.), who no-hit the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, July 28, 1976, for a 2-1 win at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum.

Rays’ Garza no-hits Tigers, 7 years ago today

Matt Garza threw the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay Rays history, seven years ago today.

The Rays were facing the Detroit Tigers at Tropicana Field on Monday, July 26, 2010, and the game was actually a double no-hitter into the sixth inning.

The Tigers’ Max Scherzer took the mound, no-no intact, but loaded the bases on two walks and a catcher’s interference call, giving designated hitter Matt Joyce a shot at breaking the 0-0 deadlock. The Tampa native jumped on a 3-2 pitch and slammed the fastball over the right-field fence in grand fashion for the game’s first hit.

“Joyce hit it out, and everybody’s ecstatic,” Garza told me in a 2015 interview. “At that point I knew he had a no-hitter going, and I was like ‘Oh, OK. Whew. We got some runs. Let’s go.’”

But Garza hadn’t yet realized he also had a no-hitter going. The Tigers’ lone base runner reached on a second-inning walk.

Reenergized by his newfound 4-0 lead, Garza retired the next 12 batters and teammates rushed to the mound to celebrate the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay Rays history.

“It was awesome, not only for the franchise but for myself,” he said. “It was my first one ever. Words really can’t explain the emotion.”

Grays’ Radbourn no-hits Blues, 134 years ago today

“Old Hoss” RadbournProvidence Grays pitcher Charles ‘Old Hoss’ Radbourn threw a no-hitter, 134 years ago today.

On Wednesday, July 25, 1883, at Cleveland’s Kennard Street Park, Radbourn no-hit the Cleveland Blues for an 8-0 victory.

Radbourn’s greatest season was in 1884, when he posted a 59-12 with a 1.38 ERA, including an amazing 73 complete games. Imagine those numbers in the pitch count era.

Singer, Bunning and Eason threw no-nos on this date

Jim BunningThe Los Angeles Dodgers Bill Singer, the Detroit Tigers’ Jim Bunning and the Brooklyn Superbas’ Mal Eason and all threw no-hitters on this date.

Singer threw his on July 20, 1970, against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium for a 5-0 win.

Bunning in 1958 threw his first of two no-hitters, blanking the Boston Red Sox 3-0 during the first game of a doubleheader at Fenway Park.

Eason in 1906 no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals for a 2-0 win at Robison Field.