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.