When the Mets took the field Tuesday for a true doubleheader, NoNoHitters.com reader Mike posed the question of how many no-hitters have been thrown during doubleheaders. He was wondering if there is a greater chance of a pitcher throwing one in a Game 2 when fatigue sets in and back-up players are more likely to find their way into the lineup.
Well we checked the record books and found that of the 264 no-hitters sanctioned by the baseball gods, 39 of them have been thrown as part of twinbills. And, oddly enough, pitchers threw more no-nos in openers than nightcaps. Of the 39, 23 happened during Game 1s while just 16 occurred in Game 2s.
Here are some other interesting twinbill no-no tidbits:
- Of the 10 doubleheader no-hitters thrown since the Mets have come into existence, 3 have been thrown against the Mets – Jim Bunning’s 1964 perfect game in Game 1 of a Father’s Day doubleheader at Shea, Bill Stoneman’s 1972 Game 2 no-no and Ed Halicki’s 1975 Game 2 no-hitter.
- Two members of the Mets all-time roster threw doubleheader no-hitters before joining the team: Don Cardwell Dean Chance.
- Dock Ellis’ infamous June 12, 1970, no-hitter thrown when he was tripping on LSD was thrown during Game 1 of a twinbill.
- Babe Ruth’s no-hitter was during Game 1 of a doubleheader. (Well, Ruth played a VERY small part. On June 23, 1917, Ruth (Then a Red Sox pitcher) was ejected for arguing with ump after walking first batter. Ernie Shore picked the runner off of first and then retired the next 26 Washington Senators for the combined no-no.
Here’s the full list of the 39 no-hitters pitched as part of Major League Baseball doubleheaders:
| Pitcher | Date | Lg. | Team | Opponent | ||
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| Ted Breitenstein | Oct. 4, 1891 (1) | AA | St. Louis Browns | 8 | Louisville Colonels | 0 |
| First career start, Game 1 of doubleheader on last day of season
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| Cy Young | Sept. 18, 1897 (1) | NL | Cleveland Spiders | 6 | Cincinnati Reds | 0 |
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| Walter Thornton | Aug. 21, 1898 (2) | NL | Chicago Orphans | 2 | Brooklyn Bridegrooms | 0 |
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| Jimmy “Nixey” Callahan | Sept. 20, 1902 (1) | AL | Chicago White Sox | 3 | Detroit Tigers | 0 |
| First American League no hitter
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| Chick Fraser | Sept. 18, 1903 (2) | NL | Philadelphia Phillies | 10 | Chicago Cubs | 0 |
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| Weldon Henley | July 22, 1905 (1) | AL | Philadelphia Athletics | 6 | St. Louis Browns | 0 |
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| Frank Smith | Sept. 6, 1905 (2) | AL | Chicago White Sox | 15 | Detroit Tigers | 0 |
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| Bill Dineen | Sept. 27, 1905 (1) | AL | Boston Pilgrams | 2 | Chicago White Sox | 0 |
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| Hooks Wiltse | July 4, 1908 (1) | NL | New York Giants | 1 | Philadelphia Phillies | 0 |
| 10-inning no hitter.
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| Nap Rucker | Sept. 5, 1908 (2) | NL | Brooklyn Superbas | 6 | Boston Doves | 0 |
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| “Smokey” Joe Wood | July 29, 1911 (1) | AL | Boston Red Sox | 5 | St. Louis Browns | 0 |
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| George Mullin | July 4, 1912 (2) | AL | Detroit Tigers | 7 | St. Louis Browns | 0 |
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| Jeff Tesreau | Sept. 6, 1912 (1) | NL | New York Giants | 3 | Philadelphia Phillies | 0 |
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| George Davis | Sept. 9, 1914 (2) | NL | Boston Braves | 7 | Philadelphia Phillies | 0 |
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| Jimmy Lavender | Aug. 31, 1915 (1) | NL | Chicago Cubs | 2 | New York Giants | 0 |
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| Bob Groom | May 6, 1917 (2) | AL | St. Louis Browns | 3 | Chicago White Sox | 0 |
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| Babe Ruth (0 in) Ernie Shore (9 in) |
June 23, 1917 (1) | AL | Boston Red Sox | 4 | Washington Senators | 0 |
| First no hitter to feature more than one pitcher, Ruth was ejected for arguing with ump after walking first batter. Shore picked the runner off of first and then retired the next 26 batters.
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| Ray Caldwell | Sept. 10, 1919 (1) | AL | Cleveland Indians | 3 | New York Yankees | 0 |
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| Dazzy Vance | Sept. 13, 1925 (1) | NL | Brooklyn Robins | 10 | Philadelphia Phillies | 1 |
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| Paul Dean | Sept. 21, 1934 (2) | NL | St. Louis Cardinals | 3 | Brooklyn Dodgers | 0 |
| Dean breaks the longest no-hitter drought in Major League baseball history in terms of game days (535), a record that stands today.
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| Monte Pearson | Aug. 27, 1938 (2) | AL | New York Yankees | 13 | Cleveland Indians | 0 |
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| Dick Fowler | Sept. 9, 1945 (2) | AL | Philadelphia Athletics | 1 | St. Louis Browns | 0 |
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| Don Black | July 10, 1947 (1) | AL | Cleveland Indians | 3 | Philadelphia Athletics | 0 |
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| Cliff Chambers | May 6, 1951 (2) | NL | Pittsburgh Pirates | 3 | Boston Braves | 0 |
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| Bob Feller | July 1, 1951 (1) | AL | Cleveland Indians | 2 | Detroit Tigers | 1 |
| Ties Larry Corcoran and Cy Young for most no-hitters with three, a record that would be broken by Sandy Koufax in 1965.
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| Allie Reynolds | Sept. 28, 1951 (1) | AL | New York Yankees | 8 | Boston Red Sox | 0 |
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| Bob Keegan | Aug. 20, 1957 (1) | AL | Chicago White Sox | 6 | Washington Senators | 0 |
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| Jim Bunning | July 20, 1958 (1) | AL | Detroit Tigers | 3 | Boston Red Sox | 0 |
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| Don Cardwell | May 15, 1960 (2) | NL | Chicago Cubs | 4 | St. Louis Cardinals | 0 |
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| Jim Bunning | June 21, 1964 (1) | NL | Philadelphia Phillies | 6 | New York Mets | 0 |
| This perfect game was the first no hitter thrown at Shea. It was game one of a Father’s Day doubleheader and my dad was there. The accomplishment ended a 58-year, 1-month, 18-day no-hitter drought for the Phillies, still the longest team drought for any franchise.
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| Jim Maloney | Aug. 19, 1965 (1) | NL | Cincinnati Reds | 1 | Chicago Cubs | 0 |
| 10 inning game.
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| Steve Barber (8 2/3 in) Stu Miller (1/3 in) |
April 30, 1967 (1) | AL | Baltimore Orioles | 1 | Detroit Tigers | 2 |
| Barber and Miller combined for a loss.
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| Dean Chance | Aug. 25, 1967 (2) | AL | Minnesota Twins | 2 | Cleveland Indians | 1 |
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| Joel Horlen | Sept. 10, 1967 (1) | AL | Chicago White Sox | 6 | Detroit Tigers | 0 |
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| George Culver | July 29, 1968 (2) | NL | Cincinnati Reds | 6 | Philadelphia Phillies | 1 |
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| Dock Ellis | June 12, 1970 (1) | NL | Pittsburgh Pirates | 2 | San Diego Padres | 0 |
| Ellis was tripping on LSD when he pitched this no hitter.
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| Bill Stoneman | Oct. 2, 1972 (1) | NL | Montreal Expos | 7 | New York Mets | 0 |
| Fourth no hitter thrown against the Mets.
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| Ed Halicki | Aug. 24, 1975 (2) | NL | San Francisco Giants | 6 | New York Mets | 0 |
| No hitter No. 5 thrown against the Mets.
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| Charlie Lea | May 10, 1981 (2) | NL | Montreal Expos | 4 | San Francisco Giants | 0 |
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AA – American Association |
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