Randy Johnson throws a perfect game in Atlanta

[Danks81]

WOW, the old man struck out 13 to get his first perfect game and his second career no-hitter.

[otterulz]

The fact that it happened in Atlanta makes it even better.

Congrats to the Big Unit. To still be dominant at his age is incredible.

[BenReilly]

One word: Un********ingbelievable!

[BlueMeanie]

The Unit's amazing. That's all there is to it.

Something was in the air tonight. Jason Schmidt of the Giants threw a one-hitter at Wrigley, and the only hit was a grounder down the third base line that Cubs C Michael Barrett barely beat out.

[Iceblink]

I just read an article about this. I don't follow any other sports besides soccer, so I'm pretty ignorant about baseball.

The article seemed to refer to a "perfect game" and a "no-hitter" as two different things.

Can someone tell me what the difference is? It would seem to me that a perfect game is one where there are no hits.

Who are some other pitchers who have pitched no-hitters? I think I read Cy Young... but did some of the other, older players do it too? Dizzy Dean, etc.?

Thanks

[655321]

I believe a perfect game is when not only do you not give up a base hit, but noone gets on base (ie. no walks)...and a no-hitter is just not allowing anyone to get a base hit. I think the last one to have one was David Wells (?) for the Yankees...and then he came out years later and admitted he was so hungover when it happened, that he was probably still drunk. Ha!

Schmidty did fantastic for the Giants last night...not only was the only hit barely made, but the pitch before was on a 2-2 count, and was highly contestable as ball. But whatever, with the Giants season the way it is, we're more than happy to have the win and finally have a complete game from someone again.

Randy Johnson's feat is even more admirable when you consider the codger only had one (1!!) three ball count the entire game and, like, eight two ball counts. Amazing.

[Danks81]

That is correct. A perfect game is where not a single batter reaches base at all. No hits, walks, hit batsmen, or players getting on via an error.

[otterulz]

Perfect game: 27 up, 27 down.

Poor Atlanta. Get fanned 18 times by Ben Sheets on Sunday, then get on the wrong end of a perfect game last night. Actually, I shouldn't say poor Atlanta. I enjoyed listening to Baseball Tonight ponder whether or not this is the end of the line for the once dominant Braves.

[SoccerScout]

How easily fans become turncoats in Baseball.

I dont care how great the acheivement, if your team just got its a$$ handed to them and that exactly what happened you shouldnt give the opposing team a heart felt standing ovation. You can appreciate the effort but a standing ovation when your team lost in the worst possible way?

How quickly "fans" turn . They were actually ROOTING thru the last few outs AGAINST there own team. Shameful.

[655321]

How easily fans become turncoats in Baseball.

I dont care how great the acheivement, if your team just got its a$$ handed to them and that exactly what happened you shouldnt give the opposing team a heart felt standing ovation. You can appreciate the effort but a standing ovation when your team lost in the worst possible way?

How quickly "fans" turn . They were actually ROOTING thru the last few outs AGAINST there own team. Shameful.

Please...this game has been played professionally for so long, and only seventeen people have done this, EVER. They were witnessing one of the greatest pitchers achieve something few people even dream of. And I say that as someone who is not a big fan of the guy personally.

Liverpool supporters are known for applauding an opposing team off the pitch if they beat LFC fair and square, and that's exactly what you saw last night.

[ProfZodiac]

How easily fans become turncoats in Baseball.

I dont care how great the acheivement, if your team just got its a$$ handed to them and that exactly what happened you shouldnt give the opposing team a heart felt standing ovation. You can appreciate the effort but a standing ovation when your team lost in the worst possible way?

How quickly "fans" turn . They were actually ROOTING thru the last few outs AGAINST there own team. Shameful.
And I can see why your nipple's gray.

[SoccerScout]

Its one thing to applaud the effort after the game...but the Atlanta fans were cheering him on AGAINST their own team before the game was over. Not real fans in my book.

[WingsFan]

Please...this game has been played professionally for so long, and only seventeen people have done this, EVER. They were witnessing one of the greatest pitchers achieve something few people even dream of. And I say that as someone who is not a big fan of the guy personally.

Liverpool supporters are known for applauding an opposing team off the pitch if they beat LFC fair and square, and that's exactly what you saw last night.

I totally agree, but would like to add that Braves supporters can only loosely be called fans.

[otterulz]

I totally agree, but would like to add that Braves supporters can only loosely be called fans.
Very true. They had problems selling out Turner Field against the Mets in the NLCS back in '99. A lot of walk-up tickets were bought and even though they announced it was a sell out, it sure didn't look like it.

But like 655321 said, it's the hardest feat to accomplish in baseball. Me personally, I wouldn't cheer a guy on if he was about to shut out my team, but I'm sure most people in other cities would do the same as they did in Atlanta. Although I do remember Boston fans going nuts when Carl Everett broke up Mike Mussina's perfect game in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs at Fenway.

[TheWakeUpBomb]

Very true. They had problems selling out Turner Field against the Mets in the NLCS back in '99. A lot of walk-up tickets were bought and even though they announced it was a sell out, it sure didn't look like it.All those diehards in Pittsburgh couldn't sell-out Game 7 of the NLCS. In 1991. When they really did have a chance.

As I've pointed out before, how many times would you watch the same film over and over again when you know it's going to have the same shitty ending? I know it's fun to piss all over Braves fans for being fair-weather and whatnot, and you'd all like to think, "Yeah, my team would be different if we won umpteen straight divisional titles, even though we spent the last EIGHT years being utterly useless in October". But you and your team's fans wouldn't be any different.

[BenReilly]

Its one thing to applaud the effort after the game...but the Atlanta fans were cheering him on AGAINST their own team before the game was over. Not real fans in my book.

Oh, please. They are real fans. We're all baseball fans (or should be), not just fans of a particular team. The opportunity to see one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history throw a perfect game at age 40! Wow!

[BenReilly]

Very true. They had problems selling out Turner Field against the Mets in the NLCS back in '99.

What do they charge for playoff tickets? Playoff tickets used to be reasonably affordable, now at least half of families can't afford to go.

[AndyMead]

Its one thing to applaud the effort after the game...but the Atlanta fans were cheering him on AGAINST their own team before the game was over. Not real fans in my book.

And those damn 110,000 Mexicans that were cheering for the US at Estadio Azteca during WCQ in 1997. They weren't real fans, either. :rolleyes:

********, I was getting teary eyed watching them detail the late innings of the game on Sportscenter. It was a freaking perfect game.