Chicago White Sox Philip Humber Throws Perfect Game

Perfect games are a true rarity in baseball, with only 23 having been thrown in baseball history. On this day four years ago, Chicago White Sox starter Philip Humber became one of the least likely players to join that select group of pitchers.

Philip Humber had been a relatively nondescript major league pitcher. He had bounced between the majors and AAA for five years before finally staying with the Chicago White Sox for the majority of the 2011 season. Prior to that, he had been the property of five different teams, a true journeyman pitcher.

During that time, including his 2011 season, Humber had not exactly distinguished himself as someone that would potentially make history. He carried an 11-10 record with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.283 WHiP into 2012, but pitched well in his first start of the year, allowing one run on six hits and three walks in 5.1 innings, striking out seven.

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That performance set the stage for what would be his moment of immortality. Humber was in complete command from the moment he set foot on the mound against the Seattle Mariners, only going to a three ball count twice, both of which happened in the ninth inning. Needing only 96 pitches for his gem, Humber struck out nine batters as he fired his perfect game.

The bubble quickly burst for Humber. In his next game on April 26 against the Red Sox, Humber allowed nine runs on eight hits and three walks in five innings of work. He would eventually be taken out of the rotation in August, reaching his nadir when he allowed eight runs while recording one out on September 4th.

Interestingly enough, this was not the only perfect game to occur on April 21, just the only officially recognized one. David Palmer threw a five inning perfect game for the Montreal Expos against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1984 before the game was called due to rain, making his outing an unofficial perfect game in Major League annuls.

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Philip Humber would spend one more year in the majors, struggling to an 0-8 record with the Houston Astros before heading back to the minors and Korea. However, on this day four years ago, Humber was perfect, one of only 23 pitchers to be able to make that claim.

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