By Louis Addeo-Weiss
The old adage tells us that we always look to start the new calendar year on a good note; however, as sports fans, the first 24-hours of 2020 were not ones encompassing emotions of joy and elation.
We saw news break mid-day regarding the passing of longtime NBA Commissioner David Sterns, who died, aged 77, of complications surrounding a brain hemorrhage. In the annals of sports history, Sterns is revered for revolutionizing the game of basketball, making it into a truly global empire. This is his legacy.
As the first day of the new year neared a close though, news broke of another loss, this time extending to the realms of Major League Baseball.
Don Larsen, a man synonymous with one game, one singular moment in time, passed away in hospice care at the age of 90.
A look at Larsen’s career reveals that of nothing which is overly impressive. A career win-loss record of 81-91, 3.78 ERA, 1.4 WHIP, and 99 ERA+ across 1548 innings over parts of 14 seasons pitched in the majors reflects this.
But in his one true moment of glory, October 8, 1956, in Game 5 of the World Series, Larsen tossed the only no-hitter in World Series history, when he went 27-up, 27-down against the Brooklyn Dodgers; a perfect game.
The image below is one forever etched into the minds of baseball fans young and old, with each ensuing generation of baseball fans learning the story of a dog having his day.
Catcher Yogi Berra’s embrace with Larsen personifies joy in the highest sense. It is the image of one great celebrating another’s accomplishment, letting the man who authored the only perfect game in World Series history, bask in the glory of his accomplishment.
Until Roy Halladay tossed a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in his first-ever postseason start some 54-years later, Larsen’s accomplishment stood as the only no-hitter ever authored in postseason play.
What remains for Larsen is this; on that October day, now nearly 64 years ago, he was perfect.
Despite how his career panned out, Larsen’s individual accomplishment illustrates that to be immortalized, one doesn’t necessarily need to put forth a hall of fame resume.
The great Buck O’Neil once said this about the humbling nature of the sport: “ I can see a guy hit the ball out of the ballpark, or a grand slam home run to win a baseball game, and that same guy can come up tomorrow in that situation and miss the ball and lose the ball game. It can bring you up here but don’t get too damn cocky because tomorrow it can bring you down there.”
Larsen, in the opposite sense of O’Neil’s words, fits this bill.
Prior to making history, the right-hander started Game 3 in Brooklyn. His final line in what would up a 13-8 Yankees loss: 1.2 innings pitched, 4 walks, and 4 runs allowed. Less than stellar to say the least.
Speaking some years later, Larsen attributed his ensuing performance to the man calling the shots, future Hall of Fame manager, Casey Stengal.
“I wanted to win one for Casey. After what I did in Brooklyn, he could have forgotten about me and who could blame him? But he gave me another chance and I’m grateful.”
If Larsen fits any criteria in the realm of sports, particularly baseball, one can argue that his perfect game asserts the notion of unpredictability and how one never knows when history will come knocking on their door.
Never will Don Larsen see induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on the merits of his numbers, but it can’t be understated that he will never be forgotten thanks to one moment, now forever etched in time.
