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May 1
⚾ Don Wilson gets revenge on Reds
ILY HIGHLIGH
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May 1, 1969, At Crosley Field Don Wilson of the Houston Astros pitches his second career no-hitter.
Revenge is rarely this poetic. Just one night after the Houston Astros were no-hit by Cincinnati’s Jim Maloney, Don Wilson stormed the mound and returned the favor — tossing a no-hitter of his own in a 4-0 Astros win on May 1, 1969.
The Reds, who led the National League in home runs and runs scored, had pummeled Houston 10-0 behind Maloney’s masterpiece on April 30. The Astros, meanwhile, had been spiraling — winless on the road and losers in 15 of their last 16 games. Wilson himself had started and lost in a 14-0 drubbing against the same Reds just days earlier.
But under the lights at Crosley Field, Wilson flipped the script. He struck out 13, walked six, and allowed no hits — not even needing a spectacular defensive play to preserve his gem. The lone drama in the ninth came with Reds sluggers Tony Perez, Johnny Bench, and Fred Whitfield due up. Wilson struck out Perez, got Bench to fly out, and walked Whitfield before sealing the no-hitter with a pop-up from Tommy Helms.
It was Wilson’s second career no-hitter, and it came with some edge. After the game, Wilson admitted he was fueled by resentment, claiming the Reds had shown him up during that earlier blowout.
“This game gave me far more personal satisfaction than my last no-hitter,” he told reporters. “Remember the 14-0 game? Pete Rose took an extra base with an 8-0 lead. Bench called sliders with two outs in the ninth. They didn’t let up.”
Rose, never one to back down, shot back: “It was 5-0 when I batted in two runs. You can tell Rockhead that.”
Wilson and Maloney became just the second pair of pitchers in MLB history to throw no-hitters in the same series — a feat first achieved in 1968. Both men nearly recorded third no-nos later in their careers.
Wilson’s career — and life — were tragically cut short in 1975. He died from carbon monoxide poisoning at age 29. That year, the Astros retired his No. 40, honoring a talent that burned brightly, and briefly, in baseball history.
Game of the Day
May 1, 1991 Rickey breaks the record - Oakland A’s vs New York Yankees
Today’s line up: Click to Listen
May 1, 1969 New York Mets at Montreal Expos
May 1, 1970 New York Mets at San Diego Padres
May 1, 1971 Milwaukee Brewers at New York Yankees
May 1, 1973 Kansas City Royals vs New York Yankees
May 1, 1991 Toronto Blue Jays vs Texas Rangers
Did you know?
May 1, 1926 -- Legendary pitcher Satchel Paige makes his debut in the Negro Southern League. Paige, at 19 years of age, leads Chattanooga to a 5 - 4 win over Birmingham.
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Don Larsen(1956), Sandy Koufax(1965), Bob Gibson (64,67 and 68), Mantle, DiMaggio, Williams (1941), Clemente 1971, Brooks 1970, Oakland Three Peat and so many others!
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Trivia:
The article notes this was the second time no hitters were thrown on back to back days, on the same field, by opposing teams, can you name the other time?
Hint: The answer is below
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
May 1, 1951, On Mother's Day at Comiskey Park, Mickey Mantle blasts the first home run of his career off Randy Gumpert in an 8-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox. In the same game, former Negro Leagues star Minnie Minoso becomes the first black player in the history of the White Sox’ franchise. Minoso belts a home run in his first major league at-bat off Vic Raschi.The ball blasted on Mother’s Day, which will be worth $165,000 at Sotheby’s auction in 2004, is inscribed on by the future Hall of Famer’s own hand, which includes the following detail on the ball, “My first H.R. in the Majors, May 1, 1951, 4:50 p.m. Chicago,” as well as “6th inning off Randy Gumpert.”
May 1, 1959 -- At the age of 39, Early Wynn of the Chicago White Sox pitches a one-hit shutout, strikes out 14, and hits a double and his 8th inning home run off Tom Brewer was the only run of the game in the 1 - 0 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Comiskey Park.
May 1, 1965 -- Tommy Davis, trying to break up a double play, dislocates and breaks his ankle sliding into second base in the fourth inning of the team's 4-2 victory over the Giants at Dodger Stadium. The two-time National League batting champ will not play again this year until he appears as a pinch-hitter in the season finale.
May 1, 1973 -- The San Francisco Giants, one out from defeat, score seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun the Pirates at Candlestick Park, 8-7. The rallet starts with Chris Speier on first base. Three batters after Chris Arnold pinch-hits a two-out grand slam, Bobby Bonds delivers a walk-off three-run double to left field to complete San Francisco's amazing come-from-behind victory. "I wasn't even going to stay on the bench" Bonds said, "After I lead off the 9th I didn't think I would get a chance to hit again."
May 1, 1974, Dock Ellis of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits three batters during the first inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds. Ellis hits Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Dan Driessen being his victims. Ellis, who admits to trying intentionally to hit each Reds batter that faced him, throws two pitches behind Tony Perez's head before walking him and is taken out of the game by Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh while facing the next batter, Johnny Bench.
May 1, 1978, former major league pitcher and controversial book author Jim Bouton begins a comeback with the Savannah Braves of the Southern League. The 39-year-old Bouton will eventually earn a promotion to the Atlanta Braves, where he will struggle in a late-season stint.
May 1, 1991, Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers pitches the seventh no-hitter of his career. The 44-year-old Ryan, who defeats the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-0, becomes the oldest pitcher to hurl a no-hit game. Ryan’s masterpiece includes 16 strikeouts and only two walks. It is also the 209th time he has struck out 10 or more in a game, and the 26th time putting 15 or more down on strikes.
May 1, 1991, Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A’s becomes the all-time leader in stolen bases. Henderson steals the 939th base of his career, breaking the record held by Hall of Famer Lou Brock. Henderson’s breaks the record in the fourth inning, when he swipes third base against catcher Matt Nokes in a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees.
Quote of the day:
““This game gave me far more personal satisfaction than my last no-hitter,” Wilson told reporters after it was over. “Remember the game in Houston? It was 14-0 and what happened? Pete Rose took an extra base with an 8-0 lead. And Bench called 3-and-1 and 3-and-2 sliders with two out in the ninth and a 14-0 lead.”
MILESTONES
Birthday Boys
Highlights: Von Joshua & Al Zarilla
Debuts
Notable: XX - Jimmie Foxx
Final Games
Highlights: Jim Piersall
Passings
Notable: Sam Mele & Ed Wells
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