Today in Immaculate Grid, I tried to use Roger Clemens for 2,000 K’s and No Hitter.
Roger Clemens never threw a no hitter! That’s amazing.
I used Catfish Hunter for the no hitter category today. It was a perfect game on May 8, 1968. There were a few remarkable things about this perfect game. It was the first Perfect Game in Athletics franchise history. There had been five prior no hitters, the most recent of which was Bill McCahan on 9/3/1947. Hunter’s perfect game was the first in the American League since 1922! Hunter faced a Twins lineup that day with three future hall of famers: Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, and Tony Oliva. Also of note, Hunter went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, driving in 3 in the Athletics’ 4-0 win. 6,298 were in attedance. In 1968, Catfish hit .232 in 90 PA for a 1.1 offensive WAR.
Inevitably when I’m trying to recall no hitters for Immaculate Grid I think about different celebrations I’ve seen at the end of a nono or perfecto. Hideo Nomo, David Cone, David Wells, Mark Buehrle, Dallas Braden, Roy Halladay, Mike Fiers, Sean Manaea.
And then I think about near misses like Armando Gallaraga.
I attended a game on June 23, 1994, in which Bobby Witt threw a 1-hit shutout vs the Royals in Oakland. It was a Thursday day game. The opposing starting pitcher was David Cone. 23,567 attended the game. The only hit for the Royals was a bunt hit by Greg Gagne in the top of the 6th. The bunt went to the right side and it was a bang-bang play at first. Bobby Witt was furious. The A’s won 4-0.