Tag Archives: No-Hitters

October 8. 1956 World Series Game 5 Don Larsen’s Perfect Game

” I Still Can’t Believe It Happened To Me,”

Don Larsen Post-game Interview October 8, 1956

Don Larsen perfect game photo International News Photos Frank Jurkoski

Immortal Pitching Yankee Stadium, New York- This sequence of three photos shows Don Larsen 1) cocking for the pitch 2) delivering, and 3) following through on the mound during his historic perfect no-hitter. Don pitched to only 27 Dodgers in posting his 2-0 victory for the books. His triumph put the Bombers ahead 3-2 in games. photo: 10/8/1956 International News Photos – Frank Juroski

For all the accomplishments that have happened in the history of baseball, there is one that has never been duplicated.

Don Larsen’s masterpiece of pitching in game five of the 1956 World Series. 27 men up. 27 men down. A perfect game in the World Series.

After The Game

With his hands still shaking after the game Larsen told reporters, ” I was so damn nervous Continue reading

The No-hitter, Break-up King

Cesar Tovar

Pitchers who come close to baseball immortality by throwing a one-hitter will always remember the batter who broke up their no-hitter.

Of all the players who have played big league baseball, you’d think some great or pesky contact hitter like Pete Rose, Ty Cobb, Joe Sewell or Lloyd Waner would hold the record for getting the only hit in a game that otherwise would have been a no-hitter.

But the man who set the record for having the only hit in a game, that ended up being a one-hitter is Cesar Tovar.

Tovar, a .278 career hitter, who played from 1965-1976 spoiled five no-hitters, a record now shared with Eddie Milner.

Tovar got the only hit of the game off of:

  1. Barry Moore of the Washington Senators (April 30, 1967)
  2. Dave McNally of the Baltimore Orioles (May 15, 1969)
  3. Mike Cuellar  of the Baltimore Orioles (August 10, 1969)
  4. Dick Bosman of the Washington Senators (August 13, 1970)
  5. Jim “Catfish” Hunter of the Oakland Athletics (May 31, 1975)

The first four times, Tovar was playing for the Minnesota Twins.  The last time versus Hunter, he was with the Texas Rangers. Tovar’s hits against McNally and Cuellar came in the ninth inning.

Tovar is also one of four players to play all nine positions in one major league game.

Cesar Tovar died at the age of 54 on July 14, 1994.

Marty Springstead Demonstrates How To Eject A Manager

Marty Springstead, Former American League Umpire, Dies At 74 (January 17, 2012)

Major league baseball umpires are beloved by their families and friends, but are generally not appreciated by the fans. When longtime umpire Marty Springstead died after suffering a heart attack on January 17th in Sarasota Florida, I felt sad that one of the more memorable baseball names that I heard throughout my childhood was gone. As a fan, I appreciated Marty Springstead’s umpiring skills  and not just because he would consistently eject Orioles manager and longtime Yankee nemesis Earl Weaver from ballgames during the 1970’s and 1980’s, but because he was from the old school of umpiring and was not flamboyant.

Springstead umpired in the American League from 1966-1985. He went on to become an executive and supervisor of umpires from 1986-2009. He worked in three All-Star Games and three World Series. He also got to be behind the plate for two no-hitters, but missed the chance for a third. He would have been calling balls and strikes on June 1, 1975 when Nolan Ryan pitched his fourth no-hitter, but he took off to be with his wife who was having a baby.  People who knew Springstead said Marty was funny and a great storyteller.

But managers who got under his skin would not see that side of him while he was on the field. Springstead was a very good umpire who took his job seriously and didn’t take flak from players, coaches or managers.  Twice during his career Springstead led the league in manager ejections.

I was among the 10,670 long suffering Yankee fans who attended the ballgame shown in the photo below.

At Yankee Stadium on Saturday, August 26, 1972, the Kansas City Royals had already scored two unearned runs in the third inning, and were leading two to one. There were two outs and Yankees pitcher Rob Gardner had a 1-2 count on Kansas City Royals slugger John Mayberry with two men on base. It looked like Gardner would get out of the inning. Continue reading