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

[UMP25]

I WAS WITNESS TO HISTORY!!! I was so jazzed--and still am--I can't explain it. As a baseball fan it's awesome. As a diehard, lifelong White Sox fan, it's beyond awesome! I was shaking like a leaf during the 9th inning especially. In the 8th when that line shot down the 3rd base line occurred, I thought for sure Laz would call it fair, but it was inches foul and he called it foul. We erupted in a big cheer--for a foul ball!

Then the top of the 9th begins and I see Podsednik moved to left with Wise taking over center--a good move by Ozzie, whom I admit I don't totally like. Pods stinks in center and is better as a left fielder. He NEVER would have made that catch. For one thing, he's much shorter and can't leap that high. But Wise--whoa!!! Did you guys see just how remarkable that catch was? He gloved it OVER the line to steal the home run, then as he's coming down, the ball is falling out of his mitt, so he grabs it with his bare hand, falls down and hits the ground, rolls over, and holds on to the ball! Unbelievable!!! Once that happened, I just knew he HAD to get the perfect game. Fate was on his side.

Some eerie stats, btw:

Buehrle's April 18, 2007 no-hitter

Time of game: 2:03
Number of batters faced: the minimum 27 (he picked off a guy on 1st)
Home plate umpire: Eric Cooper
Cooper's Uniform #: 56
Buehrle's uniform #: 56
Sox hit a grand slam

Buehrle's July 23, 2009 perfect game

Time of game: 2:03
Number of batters faced: the minimum 27
Home plate umpire: Eric Cooper
Cooper's Uniform #: 56
Buehrle's uniform #: 56
Sox hit a grand slam



I've been to some memorable games in my life, but this absolutely ranks up as THE single most memorable game I have ever seen in person. Ever. I had tears in my eyes at the end of the 9th when the final out was made. I didn't want to leave; we didn't want to leave. All of us fans stayed and hung around for about 20 minutes watching Buehrle and the media on the field. As we walked out, grown men and women were on their cell phones in the parking lot calling whomever they were calling, admitting they were crying over what they had just witnessed.

[johnnyg08]

good for you...glad you enjoyed the game

[JR12]

Great story.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I have watched the festivities over and over. It was a great game and a big chunk of history. The White Sox are by far my favorite AL team, and I'm really happy for Mark and for Eric Cooper for getting the call on the perfecto. It must be the Asian eclipse!

[UMP25]

Whatever it was, I'm sure thrilled. What an experience!

[Kevin Finnerty]

Written and shared by a man who truly gets what the game is all about and loves it like regular people simply can't understand.

Good for you, man! Major piece of history.

[UMP25]

I was originally supposed to go with a friend of mine who backed out at the last minute, so I took my 9-year-old niece, who's a Sox fan and plays girls' softball as well. She may not have fully understood the historical importance of what happened, but I think when talking to her after the game she began to realize at least a little how significant it was.

How much more nostalgic can it get than to see live a perfect game (not just a no-hitter) with a young child who herself is a baseball fan and White Sox fan?

[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.