# no hitter

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 13, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800 "2007-06-13T01:21:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/1 "2007-06-13T01:21:43Z")

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Justin Verlander just tossed a no hitter. Tigers win 4-0. Flash in the pan huh.

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**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/2 "2007-06-13T02:41:45Z")

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Tigers and Indians tied for first.

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**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/3 "2007-06-13T03:15:05Z")

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102 mph in the 9th,pretty impressive.

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**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/4 "2007-06-13T12:24:31Z")

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Just from what I saw on the highlights this morning but his curve looked disgusting.

Congrats to Mr. Verlander.

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**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/5 "2007-06-13T12:36:29Z")

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Local boy makes good - the paper here is playing it up big.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/6 "2007-06-13T13:23:11Z")

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[QUOTE=gonzomax]  
Justin Verlander just tossed a no hitter. Tigers win 4-0. Flash in the pan huh.  
[/QUOTE]  
Yes. He’s a great pitcher like Bobo Holliman. :rolleyes:

A no hitter is an amazing feat, but it’s as much luck as skill. Verlander may be a great pitcher, but the no hitter is not evidence of it.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/7 "2007-06-13T13:49:36Z")

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IMHO, a no hitter is impressive as a collective defensive effort and pitchers get a bit too much credit for them. Consider that a pitcher can walk a guy an inning and as long as he gets as many double-plays turned, he still gets a no hitter.

Unless, of course, the strikeout count is outrageous. Verlander K’d 12? Above average, but that still means the boys behind him took care of more than half the putouts.

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**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/8 "2007-06-13T13:56:45Z")

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He dominated. There were only a couple good defensive plays. Perez turned a nice double play that would have been a single if the previous batter had not walked. Then a hard liner to right ,but caught fairly easily…

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**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/9 "2007-06-13T15:21:57Z")

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[QUOTE=KneadToKnow]  
IMHO, a no hitter is impressive as a collective defensive effort and pitchers get a bit too much credit for them. Consider that a pitcher can walk a guy an inning and as long as he gets as many double-plays turned, he still gets a no hitter.  
[/QUOTE]

It’s a no-hitter even if there are no double plays turned. It’s theoretically possible to lose a no-hitter via a combination of errors & walks. Walk a runner, maybe have him steal second, and then the next batter gets a one- or two-base error to right field, it’s an easy run, and still a no-hitter.

Edit: I vaguely remember reports of a 1-0 loss like this, where the winners had no hits but won 1-0. I remember it being on the Jumbotron at Candlestick, so it’s have to be between 1990 and 1999, unless it was a this-day-in-history thing.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/10 "2007-06-13T16:03:20Z")

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Darryl Kile gave up a run in a no-hitter against the Mets in 1993. The Astros won that game 7-1, though. I think that was the first time a pitcher allowed a run in a no-hitter in quite some time.

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**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/11 "2007-06-13T16:34:10Z")

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[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF]  
Edit: I vaguely remember reports of a 1-0 loss like this, where the winners had no hits but won 1-0. I remember it being on the Jumbotron at Candlestick, so it’s have to be between 1990 and 1999, unless it was a this-day-in-history thing.  
[/QUOTE]

[Ken Johnson, 1965](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_hitter#Pitched_a_no-hitter_and_lost)

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**Author:** ![OatmealB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc79bd/32.png) [@OatmealB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OatmealB)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/12 "2007-06-13T16:42:35Z")

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Or how about Andy Hawkins, who pitched a no-hitter in 1990 and gave up 4 runs. I don’t think he gets official credit for the no-hitter anymore, since it was not nine innings due to the victorious (but no-hit) team being the home team.

[Boxscore from Retrosheet](http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1990/B07010CHA1990.htm)

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/13 "2007-06-13T16:55:51Z")

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That eighth inning must have been insane - and all of it with two outs!

> [@](#):
>
> WHITE SOX 8TH: Karkovice popped to second; Fletcher popped to second; Sosa reached on an error by Blowers; Sosa stole second; Guillen walked; Johnson walked [Sosa to third, Guillen to second]; Ventura reached on an error by Leyritz [Sosa scored (unearned) (no RBI), Guillen scored (unearned) (no RBI), Johnson scored (unearned) (no RBI), Ventura to second]; Calderon reached on an error by Barfield [Ventura scored (unearned), Calderon to second]; Pasqua popped to shortstop; 4 R (0 ER), 0 H, 3 E, 1 LOB. Yankees 0, White Sox 4.

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**Author:** ![gulliver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@gulliver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gulliver)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/14 "2007-06-13T17:23:29Z")

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[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF]  
Edit: I vaguely remember reports of a 1-0 loss like this, where the winners had no hits but won 1-0.  
[/QUOTE]

My brother pitched a no hitter and lost 12-0 once, in Pony League. He walked everyone. Maybe hit a few batters, too. He was having control issues that day; happens to the best of us. He was the only pitcher available that day, and the mercy rule was invoked. It was at the end of the season and the game meant nothing to either team.

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**Author:** ![gulliver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@gulliver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gulliver)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/15 "2007-06-13T17:25:16Z")

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…and I use the term “pitcher” quite loosely in the above anecdote.

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**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/16 "2007-06-14T02:19:14Z")

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Player of the game was the umpire. He had a pretty liberal strike zone in some instances.

Verlander looked frickin’ sweet.

**RealityChuck** , last year’s Rookie of the Year, finalist for the Cy Young award and he’s having a better year this year.  
Bobo Holloman only pitched one year. He pitched 65.3 innings in that year, to boot.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/17 "2007-06-14T11:08:58Z")

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[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF]  
It’s a no-hitter even if there are no double plays turned.  
[/QUOTE]

:smack:

Of course, you’re correct. I had a little brain cramp.

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/18 "2007-06-14T12:56:59Z")

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[QUOTE=RealityChuck]  
Yes. He’s a great pitcher like Bobo Holliman. :rolleyes:

A no hitter is an amazing feat, but it’s as much luck as skill. Verlander may be a great pitcher, but the no hitter is not evidence of it.  
[/QUOTE]

There’s a lot of luck involved but it is certainly the case that good pitchers throw more no hitters than bad ones (it is also true than more no hitters are pitched against poor hitting clubs - and the White Sox are as bad a hitting club as you will find.) So it’s not quite true to imply that it’s luck as much as skill.

I mean, it’s like hitting three homers in a game; that’s a flukey accomplishment, which is why sometimes someone like Chris Woodward does it. But it’s still the case that guys like Carlos Delgado will do it more often than guys like Chris Woodward.

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**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hitter/407800/19 "2007-06-14T16:30:41Z")

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Hell, there’s a lot of luck involved in the game of baseball as a whole. It’s not like a person that clearly doesn’t belong on the big leagues somehow fluked and miracled his way to The Show and tossed a no-hitter, then disappeared forever.
