Only once in Major League history had two no hitters been thrown on the same day. That is, until this day in 1990, when the Athletics Dave Stewart no hit the Blue Jays, and the Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela no hit the Cardinals several hours later.
Let us take a trip back down memory lane to May 2, 1917. On that day, Fred Toney and Hippo Vaughn each pitched a no hitter through nine innings as they faced one another, the only time in Major League history that two pitchers would through a no hitter against one another. It was also the only time in Major League history that two no hitters were thrown on the same day, whether they were against one another or not.
That changed on this day in 1990. Dave Stewart of the Oakland Athletics got the day started by firing a 5-0 no hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays. Aside from a fly ball to the wall in center that Dave Henderson caught against the wall, Stewart was in almost complete control, walking three, but striking out twelve in his gem.
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Stewart’s outing would only set the stage for later that night. Several hours later, Fernando Valenzuela turned back the clock to the time when Fernando-Mania was running wild in Los Angeles, pitching a no hitter in front of the home crowd at Dodger Stadium. The closest play would involve former teammate Pedro Guerrero, who hit a grounder up the middle that Valenzuela deflected to Alfredo Griffin, allowing him to start the game ending double play. Like Stewart, Fernando walked three, but he struck out seven to complete the no hitter.
This would be the second time, following that epic matchup between Toney and Vaughn, that two no hitters would be pitched on the same day. Given the number of no hitters pitched in Major League history, it maybe a bit of a surprise that this feat has only happened twice, but it may well be one of the rarest events in baseball.
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Fernando Valenzuela may not have been close to the same pitcher he had been during the height of his powers, while Dave Stewart was at the peak of his career, on this day in 1990. However, they would be forever linked by firing no hitters on the same day.