As Cleveland baseball fans, we remember Len Barkers perfect game in 1981. And as baseball fans, we honor all perfect games, including Don Larson’s perfect game in the World Series in 1956. There have been 22 perfect games in the modern era, some by Hall Of Famers and others by journeyman pitchers having a great night. But what is the best game ever pitched in MLB history?
As strange as this may sound, it belongs to former Cleveland Indian pitcher, Dick Bosman, and it happened 51 years ago this month at the Old Municipal Stadium on the lake. And it wasn’t even a perfect game. I’ll explain. It was July 19, 1974, and the Indians were playing the two-time defending World Series champion, Oakland A’s, who by the way would win the World Series again in that same year for 3 in a row. Hasn’t been done since.
That night, Bosman pitched a no-hitter against that incredible lineup. HE made the only error in the game that allowed a runner on first, or it would have been a perfect game. But it was still a no-hitter. He’s the only pitcher in MLB history to lose a perfect game by his own error.
I remember coming home from playing in a little league game and I listened to the last couple innings with my dad on the back porch. It’s a great memory as the A’s Bill North struck out to close the game.
The Game was 1 hour and 56 minutes long, and he faced 28 batters.
Bosman only threw 79 pitches in 9 innings (8.7 per inning, or 2.8 per batter) AND only 19 balls in the entire game, no walks, striking out 4. His no-hitter has less pitches than any perfect game in the modern era, and it was against baseballs best team by far. In Barkers perfect game in 1981, he struck out 11, and threw 103 pitches on a cold night against a not so great Toronto team. – Still amazing.
Any no-hitter/perfect game is insane, especially in today’s game with pitchers on pitch counts, extra rest, and bull pens being used at a huge rate.
The reason that I feel this is the best game ever pitched is this. It will never happen again – ever. Yes, there will be more no-no’s and perfect games, but not many by one man, for nine innings and certainly not against a two-time defending champion team on 79 pitches. It stands alone.
Bosman had a decent but not great career that ended in 1976 with a lifetime record of 82-85. But for one incredible night on the lakefront, he was better than any one person, on any one night, that has ever stood on a MLB mound.
