It’s well known around these parts that the New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres are the only three MLB franchises with no no-hitter (Ubaldo Jimenez got the Rockies out of that exclusive club this season).
But as I was updating the site’s pages today after the Oakland Athletics’ Dallas Braden’s threw his perfect game, I came across a tidbit of information that really illustrates the Mets’ no-no woes:
The New York Mets have played a little over 48 years in the National League and have never had a no-hitter. … the Louisville Eclipse (later renamed the Colonels) played 17 years in the American Association and the National League from 1882 through 1899 and have thrown four no-hitters.
That’s right … Louisville, which lasted about a third as long as the Mets, had four more no-hitters. That’s kind of sad, isn’t it?
And, the Eclipse/Colonels are just one of 16 defunct franchises that have thrown a total of 24 no-nos. Here’s the full list:
- 4 Louisville Colonels, Louisville Eclipse (AA, NL)
- 3 Baltimore Orioles (AA, NL – different than the current AL franchise)
- 2 Buffalo Bisons (NL)
- 2 Columbus Buckeyes (AA)
- 2 Providence Grays (NL)
- 1 Toledo Blue Stockings (AA)
- 1 St. Louis Brown Stockings (NL)
- 1 Cincinnati Outlaw Reds (UA)
- 1 Kansas City Packers (FL)
- 1 Cleveland Spiders (AA, NL)
- 1 Worcester Ruby Legs (NL)
- 1 Brooklyn Tip-Tops (FL)
- 1 Chicago Federals (Chi-Feds), Chicago Whales (FL)
- 1 St. Louis Terriers (FL)
- 1 Kansas City Cowboys (AA)
- 1 Rochester Broncos (AA)
