Addie Joss. October 2, 1908. This one is perhaps the most “clutch” of the perfect games with the exception of the Larsen WS game. It came on the second to last game of the season with Joss’ Cleveland Naps (named for player manager Nap Lajoie) a mere ½ game out of first place. A perfect game in the heat of a pennant race. It was the perfect game with fewest pitches thrown – 79; fewest strikeouts – 3 and was completed in 89 minutes. Also, the term “perfect game” did still not exist – it was referred to in the papers as “a very rare, no runner reaches base” game. Joss was waaaaay ahead of his time – he wrote a column for the Toledo Bee newspaper and he covered the WS for the paper.
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It may have been the best pitched game by an opponent of all the perfect games. Big ED Walsh pitched of the White Sox and gave up only 4 hits but he struck out 15. There have been 3 other 1-0 perfect games, including a one hitter opposing Koufax but by all accounts Walsh was by far the more overpowering pitcher this day. All four hits were singles and the run scored on a SB, an advance to third on a throwing error (on the steal). The run scored on a PB/WP (not defined in that era) when the catcher attempted to catch the pitch with his bare hand. And broke the hand. The catcher was named Ossee Schreckengost. He was referred to as “Schreck.”
ReplyDeleteThe Naps lost the game and the pennant the next day. Sadly, Joss would die at the age of 31 from TB. He pitched only 9 years in the bigs (which were still loosely defined in his early career when he basically began barnstorming at the age of 16), but in 1978 a special exemption was made to allow him in the hall.