Posted on 05/24/2006 12:20:38 PM PDT by beyond the sea
I will never forget that night in late May of 1959................................. my mother was a big baseball fan and so were my brother and I. We were all sitting around late that night listening to the Pirate game on the radio in Pittsburgh................. as thunder was heard and lightening seen in the sky in the late innings at old County Stadium in Milwaukee. It was the night of (imo) baseball’s greatest pitching performance --- 12 perfect innings of pitching.
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/05261959.shtml
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Thirty-six consecutive batters were retired by Harvey Haddix before the thirteenth inning — when it all ended on an error, an intentional walk of Hank Aaron, then a double.
Don Hoak, who was charged with the error in the thirteenth inning, said before the game, "That was a pretty good run down (pre-game discussion). If you pitch that way, you'll have a no hitter."
After the game, Lew Burdette (Milwaukee's pitcher) told the media, "I called Harvey that night in the visiting clubhouse. I told him 'I realize I got what I wanted, a win, but I'd really give it up because you pitched the greatest game that's ever been pitched in the history of baseball. It was a damned shame you had to lose.' "
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http://archive.sportingnews.com/baseball/25moments/19.html
Harvey Haddix had gone unto uncharted baseball territory. Haddix had pitched a perfect game for nine innings against Milwaukee, but the Pirates had failed to score against Braves starter Lew Burdette. The game went into extra innings and Haddix continued to set the Braves down in order. In the bottom of the 13th, Haddix's perfect game came to an end when Felix Mantilla reached on an error and Hank Aaron was intentionally walked. Braves first baseman Joe Adcock hit a 1-0 pitch from Haddix that just crept over the 375-foot mark in right-center. Haddix was the losing pitcher despite what many consider the greatest pitching performance in history.
Two balls hit by Milwaukee shortstop Johnny Logan were tricky. In the third inning, Pirates shortstop Dick Schofield robbed Logan with a leaping catch of a line drive. In the sixth, Logan's grounder into the hole took a bad hop, but Schofield reacted to the ball, caught it with his bare hand and threw out Logan at first.
Milwaukee's Del Rice and Eddie Mathews each sent center fielder Bill Virdon to the fence with long fly balls in the 10th.
The Pirates had Burdette in trouble the whole game but never were able to score despite 12 hits. In the third inning, the Pirates had three hits, but Roman Mejas was thrown out at third base. The Braves also turned three double plays.
Mother Nature had a serious impact on the game in the seventh inning. Pittsburgh's Bob Skinner hit a deep fly to right field that appeared to be a home run. However, a storm had been brewing beyond right field the inning before. During Skinner's at-bat, the wind picked up and knocked down his fly ball, allowing Aaron, the right fielder, to make the catch with his back to the wall.
The final score changed twice. When Adcock homered, it appeared the Braves had won 3-0. However, Aaron didn't think Adcock's hit got over the wall and when he saw Mantilla cross the plate with the winning run, Aaron touched second base and headed toward the dugout. Adcock, running with his head down, passed second base before frantic Milwaukee coaches could pull Aaron back on the field.
The umpires ruled Adcock had passed Aaron and awarded Milwaukee a 2-0 victory, nullifying a run. The matter was referred the next day to National League president Warren Giles, who changed the final score to 1-0, ruling that when Adcock passed Aaron, his potential home run became a double and only Mantilla's run counted.
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One heck of a night for a 12 year old boy..................... the greatest pitched game ever.
Two days from today will be the anniversary.
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Harvey Haddix (The Kitten)
Here's betting that NO ONE ties or betters that 12 Perfect Innings record in the next decade or so. What do you think?
In one game? That record will NEVER be broken. However, there could be some fireballing relief pitcher that comes in in the next decade and pitches 12 perfect innings in a row... over 12 games.
ROFL.................. so very familiar!!!
LOL
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LOL ....... that is hilarious!!!
Later in my life I got to meet Haddix several times. He had the biggest ears I have ever seen on a person.
Just wondering what ever happend to Harvey Haddix. Great guy, Great fielder, Great Person. ????
Somebody pitched 9 no-hit innings a few years back and had the game go into extra innings.
St. Louis, MO
Wasn't that the best!?
I used to love when the Orioles would go on a west coast swing so I could fall asleep to the game.
He was solid man and a class act! I loved the guy..... met him a few times back in the 50's. He was a gentleman!
What makes this such a great story is the tragedy of it all. Haddix lost the game and is not credited for a perfect game, officially.
In 1995, Pedro Martinez threw 9 perfect innings only to give up a hit in the 10th. He won the game.
Ernie Shore got out 27 players in a row and is not credited with a perfect game. He came in relieving the starting pitcher who was thrown out of the game after arguing balls and strikes with the umpire, having given up a leadoff walk.
The runner was picked off at second by the catcher once Shore hit the mound and the next 26 players were retired in a row.
And the pitcher Shore relieved? Babe Ruth.
But I think the most impressive pitching performance was Rick Wise: He threw a no-hitter (giving up only 1 walk) but he also hit 2 home runs in that same game.
They wouldn't, though, if there were not so many other games which go so very much differently! This way we can appreciate them!I remember hearing about and reading about the Haddix non-nohitter; how can you pitch that well and lose! But being a Phillies fan living near Philadelphia at the time, I didn't hear the play-by-play. My real introduction to MLB fandom was in 1950 when I was 11 and the Phillies won the pennant.
Dad loved to pitch softball and he taught me windmill pitching; at a time when I was pitching in a league my former schoolmates got a pickup game with other college-age guys from nearby, and they recruited me. My big chance for a no-hitter; nobody got a ball out of the infield all game.
Dad caught the game for several innings, and had to leave; when he left they replaced him with someone who couldn't handle it and he allowed a base runner on a third strike. Who advanced to third on passed balls, and kept me from throwing out the next batter when I fielded his grounder.
There's just so much difference between the various levels of play; I never came particularly close to a no-hitter against an organized team. To think of pitching a perfect game into extra innings against the Braves and Henry Aaron!!
I have to wonder what Haddix's pitch count was that day. I'd love to know the answer to that one.
It was a beautiful night of excellent pitching ......... but may I say, a very SAD night for a young Pirate fan!
The most dominating pitching performance I ever saw was Nolan Ryan back in 1974 or so... against Boston
He strikes out the first two batters, then Carl Yaztremski pops a pitch into short right field that just eludes the second baseman's glove...
Ryan then proceeds to strike out the next 8 batters in a row, including striking out the side in the second inning on 9 pitches.
Ryan had incredible control that day, the only time he ever pitched a 9 inning game without walking a batter... he ended the game with 17 strikeouts... and the pop single was the only baserunner for the BoSox.
Never mind that, to think of getting Henry Aaron out once in three tries would be amazing. I remember pitching against one particular batter who had a quick bat; there wasn't a thing you could do about him. You'd think you had a fastball past him, practically in the catcher's mitt, and the next thing you knew it was a line drive going the other way. And he wasn't a professional ballplayer.
People wonder why pitchers can't hit; it's no mystery at all. Most people can't hit, but pitchers can get to the big leagues without hitting, and the rest of the positions on the team generally cannot get on the field if they can't hit.
The Man's one of the best. We got another good one in Pujols. Some locals are calling him El Hombre. Thought I remembered another good player or two from Donora so I did a search. I found Ken Griffey and Junior, but realized I was thinking of Jack Clark. Not Donora, but New Brighton. He was on the local news tonight in the sports segment, manager of the River City Otters, a minor league team in St. Charles, MO. Said he wouldn't mind getting a coaching job in the majors. I hope he gets an offer. He's another class act.
Here's a list of players from PA you might enjoy.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/PA_born.shtml
And it wasn't just Arron on that team. They had guys like Joe Adcock and Eddie Matthews too and their pitching with Spaun and Burdett was great. IIRC, the Braves were the reigning NL champs. They were not some rinky-dink team which made Haddox's perfect game even more impressive.
And late at night if you had a decent radio, you could pick up a lot of other teams broadcast. In Pittsburgh, I could usually pick up KMOX(?) in St. Louis for the Cardinals games and lots of times I could get Chicago or New York stations.
Those were the days.
I still love baseball on the radio ... It's perfect "background music" ... It has a rythmn and cadence that's perfect when you're just knocking around the house.
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