(Not) Perfect Game - Ernie Shore

 Babe Ruth has a lot of feathers in his cap when it comes to accomplishments in baseball. He also has a lot of foolish moments. One of the most famous has to be the part he played in a combined no-hitter. But wait, that sounds like a proud accomplishment! Well, the part Babe played was on June 23, 1917 he started the game and walked the first batter...then got ejected for arguing the walk call with the umpire...and because this is Babe Ruth, he also punched the umpire and was escorted away by police.

Enter Ernie Shore. His contribution was to finish the game out. The runner on first was thrown out trying to steal, then Shore sat down the next 26 batters in order. For decades after that game it was considered a perfect game, but in the 1990s it was reclassified as a combined no-hitter since a perfect game can no allow a baserunner even if the pitcher in question retired 27 men in a row.

Though this game wasn't a perfect game, it was pretty cool all things considered. Shore set a record for most innings in a combined no-hitter. It was also the first ever combined no-hitter (not surprising since this was back when a pitcher finished his start usually, and no way in hell anyone would willingly leave a game unless they were getting shelled). Ruth meanwhile paid a $100 fine, had to apologize for everything and serve a 10 game suspension.
10 games...for punching an umpire. Today you get 10 games if the umpires think you didn't wash your hands after the bathroom. Just ask Max Sherzer or Domingo German.

Shore has a solid card. A "typical" 8IP and solid control. Welcome to peak dead-ball era. Prone to the occasional hit on the chart, so you know Shore was rolling some lucky dice that day.

Ruth was no slouch himself in 1917. As you can see, he does allow walks, so maybe he should have calmed down when the leadoff hitter took four outside the strike zone...speaking of that hitter...

Someone tell me what Ray Morgan and his 13 speed was trying to accomplish by trying to steal? I know hindsight is 20/20, but the dude died thinking his caught stealing led to a perfect game against his team.

Pinch Thomas was the starting catcher that day. He too was ejected after that leadoff walk for arguing with the umpire. No violence on Pinch's part, so history forgets him.

And finally we have Sam Agnew, who came in for the ejected Thomas and gunned down Morgan to preserve the "perfect" game.