Mark Buehrle throws a perfect game & I was there! And check out the plate umpire...

[zm1283]

Pretty cool to see a Missouri guy (Francis Howell North HS) get his second no-hitter.

That catch by Wise in center field was unreal. He almost dropped it as he came down off the wall.

[UMP25]

I know. The ball was coming out of his mitt, so he used his left hand to grab the ball, then hit the ground and rolled and held on to it. Wow!

[Kevin Finnerty]

Robin Yount is now the former owner of the best no-hitter-saving catch.

[aceholleran]

Saw a perfecto on Dad's Day, 1964. Jim Bunning (Phils) vs. Mets.

Atmosphere was eerie in bottom 9.

Yesterday was the 18th (I believe) recorded perfecto.

Ace

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by aceholleran

Saw a perfecto on Dad's Day, 1964. Jim Bunning (Phils) vs. Mets.

Atmosphere was eerie in bottom 9.

Yesterday was the 18th (I believe) recorded perfecto.

Ace

Yep, 18th in MLB history. The only rarer common stat is the unassisted triple play (only 14, most recently by Asdrubal Cabrera of the Indians last season).

And: yer old, Ace!

[Kevin Finnerty]

Also a shorter list: There have been 15 four-homer games.

Bizarre note on unassisted triple plays: There were none for over 40 years before Ron Hansen turned one in 1968 for the Senators. Before that, there were two within 30 hours on May 30 and 31 of 1927. There were also two within three weeks of each other in 1923.

Like Joaquin Andujar so wisely said, you can sum that up in two words: "You never know."

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by aceholleran

Saw a perfecto on Dad's Day, 1964. Jim Bunning (Phils) vs. Mets.

Or as Ted Williams would say, "Jim F****** Bunning and his little sh*t slider."

[UMP25]

Article on the Plate Umpire Eric Cooper.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I have been going to big league games on a regular basis since 1966. From 1968 to 1998, I saw 50 or more per year. Sometimes way more. In 1970, I saw two no-hitters in one month: Clyde Wright's and Bill Singer's. Two in one month ... I figured I'd see dozens of them in my time. Well, I didn't. I saw Nolan Ryan's fourth in 1975, and several of his near misses throughout the '70s. Then, the next no-hitter I saw live was Ryan's sixth in Oakland in 1990--15 years later. And I saw Ramon Martinez's all-fastball no-hitter in 1996. That's it! Way over 1500 games and only five no-hitters.

You may see one next month, or you may wait 20 years. It's fabulous and thrilling and unforgettable, no matter what. But a perfect game!? That is an immeasurably greater thrill.