List of Memphis Chicks (Southern League) no-hitters

Last updated

Ryan Franklin 2008 (cropped).jpg
1988 Grand Slam - David Holdridge (cropped).jpg
Ryan Franklin (left) and David Holdridge (right) were two of the three pitchers in a combined no-hit effort in a 4–0 victory on April 14, 1997. [1]

The Memphis Chicks were a Minor League Baseball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, that played at the Double-A level in the Southern League (SL) from 1978 to 1997. The franchise was established as an expansion team two years after the departure of the Memphis Blues and had no connection to the original Memphis Chicks of the Southern Association. In the team's history, its pitchers have pitched six no-hitters. A no-hit game occurs when a pitcher (or pitchers) allows no hits over the course of a game. [2] A perfect game, a much rarer feat, occurs when no batters reach base by a hit or any other means, such as a walk, hit by pitch, or error. [2]

Contents

Memphis' six no-hitters were accomplished by a total of seven pitchers. Five were complete games pitched by a lone pitcher, and one was a combined no-hitter. All occurred while the team was a member of the Southern League. The Chicks pitched five consecutive no-hitters at their ballpark, Tim McCarver Stadium.

History

Mike Finlayson throws the first no-hitter in Chicks' history, winning 1-0. Mike Finlayson 1973 (cropped).jpg
Mike Finlayson throws the first no-hitter in Chicks' history, winning 1–0.

The Chicks' first no-hitter was a 1–0 win, by Mike Finlayson, over the Montgomery Rebels on August, 1978, at Tim McCarver Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, during a seven-inning doubleheader. [4] He walked and struck out two batters during the game. [4] Finlayson's pitching performance was in 67 minutes, which was the fastest game ever played at the stadium, at the time. [3] The final out recorded was a groundball hit by Montgomery's Dwight Carter directly to Chicks' third baseman, Julio Perez who fielded it to first baseman Ray Crowley. [3]

The second team's no-hitter was tossed by Mitch McKelvey, who threw it on July 2, 1986, versus the Columbus Astros in Memphis, winning 16–0. [5] [6] McKelvey, who threw the first nine-inning no-hitter in the team's history, struck out 12 batters, walking four, and allowed five baserunners in their start. [7] This game was coincidentally the minor league debut of Bo Jackson. [7] This was McKelvey's debut start for the Chicks as he was promoted from Class-A Fort Myers. He started the first three innings by striking out two batters in each inning. [7]

On August 8, 1993, Rodney Myers pitched the franchise's third no-hitter against the Knoxville Smokies, winning the game by a score of 3–0, in the first game of a doubleheader. [5] [8] He struck out six Smokies batters while walking three over the course of seven innings. The no-hitter was looked to be in jeopardy when Memphis' Michael Tucker fumbled a ground ball at second base from Knoxville's Tim Hodge but was later ruled an error, during the sixth inning. [8] The game had a defensive play made by Chicks' third baseman, Joe Randa, ending the inning with a double play. [8] [9] In the seventh inning, Myers strikes out the first two batters before a flyout to Kevin Long, in center field to conclude the start. [9]

Five of the Chicks' no-hitters occurred at Tim McCarver Stadium in Memphis. Tim McCarver Stadium 1978.jpg
Five of the Chicks' no-hitters occurred at Tim McCarver Stadium in Memphis.

On September 2, 1995, Robbie Beckett and the Memphis Chicks no-hit the Chattanooga Lookouts in the second game of a seven-inning doubleheader. However, Memphis lost the game, 1–0. [5] [11] [12] The Chicks had chances to win the game, having a runner at third base and no outs, before three quick outs, including two strikeouts, ends the threat. [12] After a wild pitch was committed after a walk, there was a runner at second base for a chance for the Lookouts to seal the win. [12] Memphis manager, Jerry Royster, decided to intentional walk Ruben Santana and Dan Rohrmeier to load up the bases, but Beckett's pitching gem ends with a walk-off walk from Adam Hyzdu. [12]

Ryan Franklin (6 IP), Scott Simmons (1.2 IP), and David Holdridge (1.1 IP) pitched the first and only combined no-hitter on April 14, 1997, winning 4–0 versus the Lookouts at Tim McCarver Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, [1] the last no-hitter to happen in the Chicks' home stadium. Franklin threw 62 pitches, striking out six Lookouts and walking only one batter. [1] Simmons relieved Franklin, striking out three and walked one batter and Holdridge completed the same feat to complete the no-hitter bid. [1] This was the last nine inning no-hitter from the Chicks.

A week later, on April 21, Franklin pitched a no-hitter, winning 6–0, versus the Carolina Mudcats at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, North Carolina during the first game of a doubleheader. [13] During the game, Franklin walked and struck out three Mudcats while facing twenty-three batters in seven innings, pitching to thirteen consecutive hitless innings. [13] He continued their hitless streak up to 14.1 innings before it was snapped nine days after the no-hitter, on April 30th, when Orlando's Jason Maxwell hit a single with no one out in the first inning. [14] With the arrival of the Memphis Redbirds, a Triple-A expansion team of the Pacific Coast League, [15] the Southern League Chicks franchise relocated to Jackson, Tennessee, after the season to become the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. [16]

No-hitters

Key
ScoreGame score with Chicks runs listed first
Pitcher/catcher (#)A number following a pitcher or catcher's name indicates participation in multiple no-hitters.
BRNumber of base runners by the opposing team
(#)Number of innings in a game that was shorter or longer than 9 innings
£Pitcher was left-handed
No-hitters
No.DatePitcher(s)ScoreBROpponentLocationCatcherNotesRef.
1August 20, 1978Mike Finlayson1–0 (7)3 Montgomery Rebels Tim McCarver Stadium Randall Schafer [4]
2July 2, 1986Mitch McKelvey16–05 Columbus Astros Tim McCarver Stadium Terry Bell
  • First Chicks 9-inning no-hitter
  • Largest margin of victory in a Chicks no-hitter (16  runs)
 [6]
3August 8, 1993 Rodney Myers 3–0 (7)4 Knoxville Smokies Tim McCarver Stadium Lance Jennings [8]
4September 2, 1995 Robbie Beckett £0–1 (7)6 Chattanooga Lookouts Tim McCarver Stadium Matt Schwenke
  • Only Chicks no-hitter to result in a loss
  • Second game of a doubleheader
  • Smallest margin of victory in a Chicks no-hitter (1  run)
 [12]
5April 14, 1997 Ryan Franklin (1)(6  IP)
Scott Simmons£(1.2 IP)
David Holdridge (1.1 IP)		4–04 Chattanooga Lookouts Tim McCarver Stadium Karl Thompson(1) [1]
6April 21, 1997 Ryan Franklin (2)6–0 (7)3 Carolina Mudcats Five County Stadium Karl Thompson(2) [13]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Curtis, John (April 15, 1997). "Three Chicks Unite for No-Hitter". The Commercial Appeal. p. 33. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 "MLB Miscellany: Rules, Regulations and Statistics". Major League Baseball . Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Rea, Larry (August 21, 1978). "No-Hitter Leads Memphis Sweep". The Commercial Appeal . p. 14. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "Rebels are No-Hit Again". Alabama Journal . Montgomery. August 21, 1978. p. 14. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 "Southern League No-Hitters (1964–2018)". Southern League . Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on June 21, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Jackson is Held in Check Again". The Montgomery Advertiser . Montgomery. July 3, 1986. p. 2C. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 3 Higgins, Ron (July 3, 1986). "McKelvey has No-Hit Debut". The Commercial Appeal. p. 37. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Harding, Thomas (August 9, 1993). "Chick Throws No-Hitter". The Commercial Appeal. p. 21. Archived from the original on July 3, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "Chicks". The Commercial Appeal. August 9, 1993. p. 24. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "No-Hitters". The Commercial Appeal. September 6, 1999. p. 30. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Southern League Standings". The Jackson Sun . Jackson. September 3, 1995. p. 2C. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chicks Split a Pair, Lose Nightcap No-Hitter". The Commercial Appeal. Chattanooga. September 3, 1995. p. 46. Archived from the original on June 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 3 "Franklin No-Hits Carolina". The Jackson Sun. Jackson. April 22, 1997. p. 1C. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Memphis Chicks, Class AA, Southern League". The News Tribune . May 4, 1997. p. 34. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Memphis, Tennessee Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference . Sports Reference. Archived from the original on June 7, 2025. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Memphis Wins Season Finale". The Jackson Sun. Jackson. September 2, 1997. p. 2C. Archived from the original on June 1, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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.