Hagen: New book highlights history of near-perfectos
From Paul Hagen at MLB.com on January 31, 2017, with mention of SABR member Joe Cox:
The pitcher had retired the first 26 batters he faced. Then, one out away, the umpire made a mistake, helping deprive him of his perfect game.
This is the story of Tigers right-hander Armando Galarraga on June 2, 2010. But it’s also the story of Phillies lefty George “Hooks” Wiltsie in 1908. And it’s the common thread that unites “Almost Perfect: The Heartbreaking Pursuit of Pitching’s Holy Grail.”
There have been 21 perfect games in the modern era of Major League Baseball. These have been well-documented. Just off stage, though, are the 16 pitches who retired at least 26 consecutive hitters but didn’t finish the perfecto. Sixteen largely forgotten or overlooked moments in history.
At least, they were largely overlooked before Joe Cox, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), decided to tell their stories.
Read the full article here: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/214786290/new-book-highlights-history-of-near-perfectos/
Originally published: February 1, 2017. Last Updated: February 1, 2017.