FanNation | FN Magazine's Blog | The anniversary of the case of the "perfect" loss

Once again, our regularly scheduled "True Media Story" is pre-empted this week. Instead I present a story that's timely, coming on the heels of the recent instance of two Angels pitchers combining for a no-hitter only to be denied their place in the books...because the Angels lost the game.

And they only pitched 8 innings.

But if you think that bites, I got a story for you. How does pitching 12 perfect innings (and still lose) sound?? It happened--50 years ago.

Harvey Haddix was a pitcher for the Pirates when, in 1958, he faced off at County Stadium in Milwaukee against the Braves. What the fans witnessed that night, still boggles the mind today. It started off slowly, 3 innings of no-hit ball...then 6...7...8...so when the 9th inning rolled around, the fans had an inkling they were seeing history in the making.

And Harvey Haddix was not about to disappoint them.

The game was still scoreless through 10 innings...11...12 innings. Not one Brave got on base through 12 innings, but then again the Pirates couldn't muster any power either.

Now the bottom of the 13th inning came...and went. All it took was Hank Aaron to launch a walk-off HR to end this marathon, 1-0 Milwaukee. And just like that, it was over. The game, yes; the debate, no.

We have MLB to thank for stoking the debate.

In their infinite "wisdom" a few years ago, MLB decided to "clarify" what constitutes a no-hitter. They decreed that a no-hitter happens when you set down 27 batters with no one reaching base...not 24, and not any other number than 27.

So not only are the Angels pitchers shafted (not to mention 2 other instances of 8-inning no-hit ball), but Harvey Haddix watched his "perfect" loss go bye-bye. Maybe it's in the record books still; I only know when I read the story years ago that MLB wanted to streamline their records, it made mention of wiping out the "perfect" loss from the books.

Any way you look at it, it's highly doubtful we'll see another pitcher come close to even sniffing what Harvey Haddix did on a summer night in Milwaukee 50 years ago.

As always, thank you for reading. Regular "TMS" next week.

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July 1, 2008 03:54 PM ET

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Good blog. Don't feel bad about TMS being pre-empted. I've been slacking on my end. I need to do more for the group.

J. HOVA: PLAYS NO…

Brooklyn, NY

Total Comments (12964)

July 1, 2008 05:10 PM ET

See - that's good writing right there. Opening up with something that makes the reader feel good. (Angels Losing, Yea!) Just hilarious. Not a Dodger fan, but great win. I mean, the other team doesn't get a hit off you, and You Lose!
LMFAO!

One thing I didn't get out of this though Nut - how many innings did Haddix in fact pitch?

Thugmeister

State Of Jefferson, CA

Total Comments (2577)

July 1, 2008 05:54 PM ET

It said it in the piece, Thug. The game was AT Milwaukee, so Haddix pitched 13 innings. (Or, 12 point something; I actually don't know what point it was when Hammerin' Hank hit his HR. I just remembered reading the story in high school, is all.)
Oh, and J., the "pre-empting" part was a inside joke on MY part. I just get lazy sometimes, so from time to time I'll fill the "TMS" void with something like this (or the Tiger piece, where I referenced the '64 U.S. Open).
I'm just a frustrated sportswriter at heart, guys. LMAO