02868cam a2200313 i 4500 545689951 TxAuBib 20220106120000.0 160728s2017||||||||||||||||||||||||eng|u 2016032870 9781493019502 1493019503 eng rda TxAuBib rda TxAuBib rda Cox, Joel. Almost perfect [BOOK] : the heartbreaking pursuit of pitching's Holy Grail / Joe Cox ; foreword by Jim Bunning. Guilford, Connecticut : LP, [2017] xiv, 264 pages ; 24 cm. txt rdacontent n rdamedia nc rdacarrier "Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK"--T.p. verso. Includes bibliographical references and index. "There'll sure be rain, for you heard the thunder" (July 4, 1908: George "Hooks" Wiltse, Giants) -- In relief of the Babe (June 23, 1917: Ernie Shore, Red Sox) -- "150 pounds of sheer guts" (August 5, 1932: Tommy Bridges, Tigers) -- Billy the Kid ... "What more do you want? (June 27, 1958: Billy Pierce, White Sox) -- The greatest pitching masterpiece in baseball history (May 26, 1959: Harvey Haddix, Pirates) -- "You've got to be kidding me" (September 2, 1972: Milt Pappas, Cubs) -- From the Tigers to the dogs (April 15, 1983: Mitt Wilcox, Tigers) -- The true creature and Charlie Hustle (May 2, 1988: Ron Robinson, Reds) -- Tomorrow I'll be perfect (August 4, 1989: Dave Stieb, Blue Jays) -- "It's just baseball" (April 20, 1990: Brian Holman, Mariners) -- Little brother no more (June 3, 1995: Pedro Martinez, Expos) -- Mr. Almost and America's tragedy (September 2, 2011: Mike Mussina, Yankees) -- Perfectly imperfect (June 2, 2010: Armando Galarraga, Tigers) -- Near perfection from the land of the rising sun (April 2, 2013: Yu Darvish, Rangers) -- Down to a dream (September 6, 2013: Yusmeiro Petit, Giants) -- The illusion of control (June 20, 2015: Max Scherzer, National). The rich, poignant tales of major league baseball's most hard-luck fraternity-the pitchers of its Almost-Perfect Games From 1908 to 2015, there have been thirteen pitchers who have begun Major League Baseball games by retiring the first twenty-six opposing batters, but then, one out from completing a perfect game, somehow faltering (or having perfection stolen from them). Three other pitchers did successfully retire twenty-seven batters in a row, but are still not credited with perfect games. While stories of pitching the perfect game have been told and retold, Almost Perfect looks at how base. 20170518. Pitchers (Baseball) United States. No-hitters (Baseball) History. Pitching (Baseball) United States History.