No pictures and No names (at least not many) for this post. I do not know the names of all the people involved. It is a great and sad story.
My 11 year old son plays in the Majors for the Continental Little League in Walnut Creek California on the Diamond Backs. He is a good player and plays first base and outfield. The best player on his team (and maybe in the league plays 1st ahead of him.) when that player pitches (as he is also the ace) my son plays 1st.
Today the number 2 pitcher on the team went through 17 straight batters. In Little League the games go 6 innings and 18 batters is a perfect game. A perfect game and any level of baseball is an amazing accomplishment.
The last batter on the other team came up (The Cardinals) and his name is Chris. Chris is not the best player, but not the worst either. He is scrappy and loves baseball. He started in left field today and played the entire game there. He also batted 9th. Chris backed up my son who started at 1st on the Fall Ball team and I had watched him there.
In Chris's first at bat today he hit a sharp one back to the pitcher for a ground out, which was more than most people were doing.
As Chris came to bat today I was on my feet with a few others. Some did not realize what was going on and I explained to them. Some knew it was a no hitter, but did not know that we were on the verge of a perfect game. To add more drama to the situation there was an issue with the pitch count and how much longer the pitcher could stay in the game (I think he only had 11 pitches left for the game. This rule has changed some and I am not sure of all the details and how it would have played out).
Chris hit a dribbler between 1st and the second basemen. The pitcher might have been able to get it or the second baseman, they both moved to it, but so did the 1st basemen who got it and stumbled. He may have been able to get up and run it over and get the out still,but he tossed it to the second basemen who went to cover first. The toss was low and bobbled. Chris tripped on first and got the wind knocked out of him, but was safe.
The perfect game was lost. The coaches took a time out and got the kids focused. The next better flew out and the pitcher got a no-hitter.
I shook the pitchers hand after-wards and told him it was one of the finest games I had ever seen pitched. I am 49 and have only seen one other no-hitter. Nolan Ryan vs the Oakland A's. I told him this, he is in good company.
The pitcher did not seem happy and the first basemen seemed upset too. It is a sad thing. However, they are young men and will accomplish many great things yet in life. There are old men whose only accomplishments in life that they talk about are what the achieved in Little League or high school, that is sadder. Failure at any age is something that can be built upon and turned into achievement, but especially at a young age. It is also sad that what should be a great thing (a no hitter) will be overshadowed by what it could have been.
I am thankful for 2 things:
- I am happy for Chris. He will probably never play ball at the same level as the pitcher today or the first basemen on my son's team, but he accomplished something great for his team. I hope they gave him the game ball.
- My son was not playing 1st base when this happened.
