Today we go and add Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry to my on-going "missing" 1971 "Baseball's Greatest Moments" sub-set, perhap the nicest and hardest to find Topps oddball set there is:
The
subject is Perry's no-hitter from 1968 against the St. Louis Cardinals
on September 17th at Candlestick Park, where he fanned nine while
walking only two, defeating Bob Gibson during HIS incredible MVP year,
1-0.
Perry was dominant that day, lowering his earned run average to 2.46, while posting his 15th win against 14 losses.
For Gibson, the one earned run allowed had his ERA at 1.13, just ridiculous, while he also walked two while striking out 10.
The
only run of the game was a Ron Hunt home run in the first inning,
before both pitchers shut down any chance of offense, with the Giants
managing only three more hits the rest of the game.
Incredibly,
the very next day the Cardinals got their revenge by no-hitting the
Giants 2-0, with Ray Washburn turning in the gem, striking out eight
while allowing five walks.
Can you imagine THAT!?
In
that game, there were three pitchers total, Washburn and his 2.28 ERA
for the Cardinals, Bobby Bolin and his 1.96 ERA staring for the Giants,
and reliever Frank Linzy and his 2.26 ERA.
Indeed the "Year of the Pitcher"!