Perfect Game - Don Larsen

 And now for the single greatest pitching performance in baseball history. And fitting to baseball, of all men to pitch this game, it wasn't someone you'd ever expect. As the newspapers would say the next day, the imperfect man pitched a perfect game.

Don Larsen in 1956 was pretty solid with an 11-5 record, but only 20 of his 38 games that year were starts and only featured a single shutout. He was far from the ace of the Yankees. But as we've covered before, you don't need to be the best to be perfect on a particular day. This day however was more important than all the other perfect games that occurred both in the past and in the future. The others were regular season perfect games, Don Larsen pitched his in the World Series, with the series tied 2-2 and facing the defending champions.

Larsen got the ball in Game 2, but the Brooklyn Dodgers knocked him around and he looked far from perfect. After the Yankees came back from a 0-2 deficit to tie the series, Larsen was surprised to find out on the morning of Game 5 that he'd get the ball again. On this day his control was on point and he went on to quickly pitch his way through the star-heavy Dodgers lineup, knocking them down 27 straight. Dodgers would win Game 6 but the Yankees sealed the deal in Game 7 to dethrone Brooklyn and set the baseball world right.

Larsen had a few more seasons left in him with the Yankees, then went on to be a journeyman pitcher, ending with an 81-91 career record and no chance at the Hall of Fame, but his name is already immortalized and he has the ultimate accomplishment amoung pitchers.

The 5IP hurts because he pitched about half his games out of the bullpen, but if you figure that +6 Control allows for at least +3 in the 9th when you figure for fatigue, it is still possible, especially if you play the right strategy cards to add some innings.

The immortal image of that day, Yogi Berry leaping into Don's arms after the final strikeout. If not for Larsen's perfecto, Berra would've been the choice for the Series MVP award.

The biggest help to the perfect game was Mantle. His homer accounted for one of the 2 runs the Yankees scored that day, and he made a tremendous catch in the field to keep the Dodgers off the bases.

Bauer singled in the other run of the game.

Maglie was an equally capable pitcher and even won Game 1 for Brooklyn before he was the unfortunate opponent for Larsen in Game 5.