Charlie Robertson's perfect game

Last updated

Charlie Robertson's perfect game
Charlie Robertson.jpg
Charlie Robertson in 1922 with Chicago.
Chicago White Sox Detroit Tigers
2 0
123456789 R H E
Chicago White Sox 020000000270
Detroit Tigers 000000000001
DateApril 30, 1922 (1922-04-30)
Venue Navin Field
City Detroit, Michigan
Managers
Umpires

On April 30, 1922, in a game between the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers, Charlie Robertson pitched the fifth perfect game in Major League Baseball history. Robertson, pitching for the White Sox, retired all 27 batters he faced.

Contents

The game

Robertson was the White Sox's starting pitcher for their game against the Tigers in Detroit on Sunday, April 30, 1922. The 26-year-old Robertson, who had played for the American Association's Minneapolis Millers the previous season, was making his fourth start in Major League Baseball. [1] He faced a Detroit team that ended the season with a .306 batting average. [1]

Robertson started off the game by striking out Lu Blue. In the second inning, Chicago's Harry Hooper and Johnny Mostil scored on a Whitey Sheely single for the only runs. A spectacular diving catch by Johnny Mostil on a liner to left by Bobby Veach in the second inning preserved the historic feat. [1] Throughout the game, Tigers manager Ty Cobb complained to the umpires that Robertson was doctoring the ball. Robertson's uniform was checked, and Detroit kept several game balls, but nothing was ever found. In the ninth inning, Robertson retired pinch hitter Johnny Bassler for the final out. [1] The game lasted one hour and 55 minutes. [2]

It was 34 years before anyone else pitched a perfect game in the majors. For White Sox catcher Ray Schalk, it was one of four no-hitters he caught in his career. During the 1922 season, Robertson had a 14–15 win–loss record and a 3.64 earned run average. He finished his career with a win–loss record of 49–80 and a 4.44 ERA, and according to one writer, "Hands down, Robertson is the least-accomplished pitcher to have thrown the most accomplished of games." [1]

He appeared on the game show What's My Line? on October 14, 1956, six days after Don Larsen's perfect game. [3]

Game statistics

April 30, Navin Field [2]
Team123456789 R H E
Chicago White Sox020000000270
Detroit Tigers000000000001
WP: Charlie Robertson (2–0)   LP: Herman Pillette (2–1)

Box score

Hitting
Chicago White SoxABRHRBIDetroit TigersABRHRBI
Eddie Mulligan , SS 4010 Lu Blue , 1B 3000
Hervey McClellan , 3B 3010 George Cutshaw , 2B 3000
Eddie Collins , 2B 3010 Ty Cobb , CF 3000
Harry Hooper , RF 3100 Bobby Veach , LF 3000
Johnny Mostil , LF 4110 Harry Heilmann , RF 3000
Amos Strunk , CF 3000 Bob Jones , 3B 3000
Earl Sheely , 1B 4022 Topper Rigney , SS 2000
Ray Schalk , C 4010   Danny Clark , PH 1000
Charlie Robertson , P 4000 Clyde Manion , C 3000
.0000 Herman Pillette , P 2000
.0000   Johnny Bassler , PH 1000
Totals32272Totals27000
Pitching
Chicago White SoxIPHRERBBSODetroit TigersIPHRERBBSO
Charlie Robertson 900006 Herman Pillette 972225
Totals900006Totals972225

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Coffey, Michael (2004). "The Mystery Guest: Charlie Robertson". 27 Men Out: Baseball's Perfect Games. Atria Books. ISBN   978-0743-4460-75.
  2. 1 2 "Chicago White Sox vs Detroit Tigers Box Score: April 30, 1922". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ↑ "Joe Stafford, David Niven [panel]". What's My Line? . Episode 332. October 14, 1956.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.