You love baseball. Tim Kurkjian loves baseball. So while we await its return, every day we'll provide you with a story or two tied to this date in baseball history.
ON THIS DATE IN 2015, the Giants' Chris Heston pitched a no-hitter.
He won 12 games that year, 13 in his career, but he did what Grover Alexander, Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux, who won 1,082 games combined, never did. So, in honor of Heston and Bud Smith and Mike Warren and all 303 times it has happened, we will celebrate the no-hitter.
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The Angels' Mike Witt threw a perfect game on the final day of the 1984 season. The final out of that game was Rangers pinch hitter Marv Foley. It was the last at-bat of his major league career. The Rangers' George Wright went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in that game, ending a difficult season for him. I asked him what he was going to do in the offseason. "Change my name,'' he said, "and move to Africa.''
In 1940, Bob Feller threw the only no-hitter ever on Opening Day.
Jim Maloney has the most walks (10) in a no-hitter.
In 1953, the St. Louis Browns' Bobo Holloman, a struggling reliever on his way to the minor leagues, got a spot start and threw a no-hitter. He would make five more starts the rest of his career; he would finish with three career victories. It was the first no-hitter thrown by a Browns pitcher since Bobo Newsom 19 years earlier. Two Bobos, 19 years apart.
The Padres have never had a no-hitter since their inception in 1969. Since then, there have been 136 no-hitters. The Angels and Astros have had the most, with 10.
Phil Humber's perfect game in 2012 was the only complete game of his career.
Tony Pena caught the most games (1,950) without ever catching a no-hitter.
In 1994, the Braves' Kent Mercker no-hit the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The next day, he told me, "I stayed up all night watching the highlight on CNN Headline News every 20 minutes.''
In Edwin Jackson's no-hitter in 2010, he faced 36 batters, tied for the third-most batters faced in a no-hitter since 1954. (The record is 40.) He threw 79 strikes, 70 balls, which was the most balls thrown by one pitcher in any game in 10 years. He walked eight. Jason Bartlett made the last out of that no-hitter. It was the second time he made the last out of a no-hitter or a perfect game. Ted Williams and Hank Aaron made the last out of two no-hitters.
Mark Buehrle's perfect game in 2009 was caught by Ramon Castro, the first perfect game in which the catcher was catching the pitcher for the first time.
On Sept. 17, 1968, the Giants' Gaylord Perry no-hit the Cardinals. The next day, the Cardinals' Ray Washburn no-hit the Giants.
Four Phillies combined on a no-hitter against the Braves in 2014. The second pitcher of the game, Jake Diekman, who came on in the seventh inning, said he did not know the Braves had no hits when he entered the game.
In 1991, Nolan Ryan threw his seventh and final no-hitter. He was 44. Friends and family were waiting for him after the game to celebrate, but before he would celebrate, he rode an exercise bike for 45 minutes because that's what he did after every start. And it didn't matter that he had just thrown his seventh no-hitter, at age 44. The work always came first.
Other baseball notes for June 9
In 2010, Derrek Lee hit his 300th career home run. In 2005, he hit 46 homers. Lee, Jim Rice, Willie Mays, Johnny Mize, Wally Post, Adam Dunn, Norm Cash, Nelson Cruz, George Bell, Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, Mel Ott, Jimmie Foxx, Carlos Pena and Jermaine Dye are the 15 players in history to hit 40 or more homers in a season who had four or fewer letters in their last name.
In 1951, Dave Parker was born. Great player, great throwing arm. He won an MVP. He used to wear a Star of David around his neck. Asked why, he said, "My name is David, and I'm a star.''
In 1988, pitcher Joe Kelly was born. He throws 100 mph. More impressive, several Red Sox players were shooting hoops in an empty gym several years ago. Kelly made a full-court shot. That's called throwing 94.
In 1999, Mets manager Bobby Valentine was ejected in the 12th inning of a victory over the Blue Jays in 14 innings. After the ejection, he came back to the dugout wearing a fake mustache and sunglasses. It was mischievous third baseman Robin Ventura's idea for Valentine to do that. Valentine was caught and suspended for two games and fined $5,000.