Pittsburgh Pirates starter Harvey Haddix may have pitched the greatest game in Major League history on this day in 1959. Unfortunately, it ended with a heartbreaking loss.
Pitching a perfect game is a difficult task in its own right. Everything, literally, has to be perfect. The pitcher has to be at the very top of his game, pounding the strike zone and not walking anyone. The defense has to be superb, with amazing plays typically occurring to save the game. And, of course, the offense has to be able to get a run across in order to make that perfect game occur.
For Pittsburgh Pirates starter Harvey Haddix, those first two requirements happened in his start on this day in 1959. However, the Pirates offense was unable to push a run across through nine innings. That did not deter Haddix, who continued his perfect game into extra innings.
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On through the twelfth inning, Haddix was perfect, retiring the first 36 batters he faced. However, the Pirates offense continued to struggle on their own right, failing to get a runner past first in any of those innings. On the game went into the bottom of the 13th, as Haddix sought to keep his place in history.
Again, the Pirates would let him down. Felix Mantilla grounded to third to start the inning, but third baseman Don Hoak threw the ball away for an error, ending the perfect game. After a sacrifice bunt, Haddix intentionally walked Hank Aaron, bringing Joe Adcock to the plate. On Haddix’s 1-0 pitch, Adcock ended the no hitter and the game, hitting a home run to deep right center. However, Adcock passed Aaron on the basepaths, leading to his blast counting as a double and Haddix losing a tough 1-0 decision.
Overall, Haddix had a solid career, winning three Gold Gloves and making the All-Star team on three different occasions. Despite only having a 136-113 record and a 3.63 ERA, he received solid consideration for the Hall of Fame, earning votes in each of the ten years that he appeared on the ballot. Yet, despite his career accomplishments, he is still remembered for pitching what may have been the most dominant twelve innings in baseball history.
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It may have been the greatest game in baseball history, but it was also a crushing loss. If only the Pirates offense had been able to push even a single run across in those first twelve innings, then Harvey Haddix may be remembered a bit differently.