Show WHAT was the best ball game gam ever pitched when you con- con ider the combined quality of pitch- pitch ng on both sides This query came ap lp recently when we were wishing good luck to such zone war-zone travelers is Carl Hubbell Mel Ott Ducky Dixie Walker Valker Paul Waler Wa- Wa ler Jer and Paul Derringer None of hem went back far enough to offer any complete check checkon on the intricate sit sit- The only candidate for the honor present was Carl Hubbell one of the great pitchers pitch pitch- ers of all time i is who s innocently became involved in the argument As I figure it i 4 there were three Carl Hubbell such games that belong belong belong be be- long in one compact ind select group The first took place in 1908 when Addie Addis Joss of Cleveland elaml beat Ed Walsh of the Chiago Chiago Chiago Chi- Chi ago White Sox 1 to 0 O. In this game I Ilean lean can and lanky Joss a great pitcher badly overlooked pitched me ne of the few perfect games in baseball Not a White Sox reached first arst base Against this flawless exhibition Ed Walsh struck out 15 Cleveland hitters hitters hit hit- lers and allowed only two hits And m Il those now forgotten days Cleveland Cleveland Cleveland Cleve Cleve- land had a mighty slugging team leaded by Nap Lajoie Hit No-Hit Game Gauze This was a pitching thriller that zone lone who saw it will ever forget I was talking about this game re recently re- re with Charley Hughes of the Detroit Athletic club who also covered the big-arm big contest That game is my pick Charley Charley Charley Char Char- ley said Except for one wild throw neither team would have scored cored against Joss and Walsh beCore before before be be- fore Core nightfall There is no greater thrill than to see a perfect game pitched pitched pitched-no no one to reach first espe first espe especially when the other pitcher is allowing allowing allowing al al- lowing only two hits and fanning 15 men The next star all-star double pitching pitching pitching pitch pitch- ing entry we recall was the meeting meeting meeting meet meet- ing between Fred Toney of Cincinnati Cincinnati Cincin Cincin- nati aati and big Vaughn of the Cubs on May fay 2 1917 In that game these two pitchers turned in a double exhibition ex- ex exhibition ex ex- that has never been equalled At the end of nine innings innings in in- neither had allowed a hit A double no-hit no game in one after- after afternoon noon loon was something for the rec rec- ord No-hit No nine inning games are rare enough and when you get two pitchers offering the same fare on ona 1 a single occasion you get close to the limit What about the game Mel asked that Carl Hubbell pitched against the hitting hard-hitting Cardinals July 2 2 1933 Hurling 18 Innings Hubbell promptly blushed Ill tell you about it Ott att said Carl beat the Cardinals one to nothing after 18 innings Tex Carleton Carleton Carleton Carle- Carle ton worked the first 15 innings for forthe forthe forthe the Cardinals and Jess Haines the last 3 They also pitched great ball You have to allowing only one me run in 18 innings But that isn't all of it If you pitched perfect ball through 18 in innings innings innings in- in only 54 5 men would come to bat Well Vell as I recall it only 57 men came to bat against Carl that lay Maybe only 56 Now its it's great to pitch 9 fine innings But think what it means to pitch 18 great Innings How about it Carl I asked Carl changed the subject slight slight- ly ty The best game I ever pitched was against the Dodgers he said That was Memorial day 1940 They got one hit but that day I had most of my stuff working Better than your 18 inning game and your no-hitter no I asked I uI think so he said But that 18 inning thing was a long afternoon after after- noon Heres a funny angle Mel Ott said aid again Later on we beat Dizzy Diz Diz- zy ty Dean and the Cardinals one to 1 nothing in the second game that same same same day day 27 27 innings for forthe forthe forthe the the Cardinals Anyway we have offered you three of the greatest pitching contests contests contests con con- tests of all time slipping on back backa a mere matter of 36 years There they stand on their own records records- The Walsh Joss-Walsh gem of 1908 The Vaughn Toncy-Vaughn jewel of 1917 The Haines Carleton masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece mas mas- of 1933 18 innings It would be interesting to get a a. a vote from those who follow baseball as to which was the top masterpiece masterpiece master master- piece of the three All Around Fighters How many know that in addition to football ability this navy team has set a new record in the way of fighting or boxing talent Here they are are Capt Ben Chase guard was the regimental heavy heavyweight heavyweight heavy heavy- weight champion in 1943 and the up runner-up in 1944 Leo Bramlett crack end is heavyweight champion of the academy Clyde Scott from Arkansas won the middleweight championship of the Plebe summer tournament |