Dallas Braden may be best known for his feud with Alex Rodriguez and as an analyst on ESPN. However, on this day in 2010, the Oakland A’s starter earned his place in baseball immortality by pitching a perfect game.
Dallas Braden had a rough beginning to his life. He was a troublemaker in school, and after his mother died when he was young, Braden was raised by his grandmother. After he finally understood that his antics may lead him to prison, he turned his life around, eventually being drafted by the Oakland A’s.
Perhaps it was fitting that, with his grandmother in the stands on Mother’s Day in 2010, Braden would pitch the best game of his career. Facing off against the Tampa Bay Rays, who had the best offense and record in baseball at the time, Braden fired the 19th perfect game in baseball history.
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This would be the second perfect game in franchise history, following Catfish Hunter‘s gem in 1968. Braden struck out six, getting both Melvin Upton and Willy Aybar twice. His catcher, Landon Powell, had been with the A’s for 18 days before calling Braden’s perfecto, pressed into action due to an injury to Kurt Suzuki. The outing also marked the first complete game in Braden’s major league career.
Alas, the 26 year old would not be able to use that game as a springboard to greatness. He lasted only three games the following year before needing surgery due to a torn capsule in his shoulder. He did not recover, and after a follow up surgery, Braden announced his retirement in 2014, having never pitched again.
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It would be easy to remember Dallas Braden as the Oakland A’s pitcher who yelled at Alex Rodriguez for crossing the mound and breaking one of the unwritten rules of baseball. However, his gem, pitched six years ago on Mother’s Day, made sure that he had a place in baseball history.