Felix Hernandez pitches Major League Baseball's 23rd Perfect Game
27 Up- 27 Down for King Felix
All Americans,
Indians in America may shift attention elsewhere immediately. This is only
for the Indian audiences who at most times are sceptical of American sports
(with the possible exception of basketball).
So this post is
about baseball – the sport that has had me hooked irrevocably for the past 5
years. Last night, “King” Felix Hernandez produced a perfect game of pitching for
the Seattle Mariners against the Tampa Bay Rays. A perfect game in baseball
comprises a pitcher pitching all 9 innings and retiring all 27 batters (3 in
each inning) without a single base-runner: i.e. 27 out, no hits, no walks and
no men on base. It is hardly correct to try and equate cricket to baseball but the
only probable comparison I can come up with is a bowler in a one–day international
producing figures of 10 -10 – 0 – 10.
I can already hear
those with an understanding of baseball and cricket groaning at this comparison
– and I humbly admit – the crude cricketing equivalent which I administered will
likely never be seen. On the other hand Felix’s perfect game was the 23rd
in the history of Major League baseball, the first ever having been thrown by Lee
Richmond in 1880. What is astonishing is, that in the 133 years since then only
22 other perfect games have been thrown. Even more mind-boggling is the fact
that 3 of those perfect games have been pitched this year, by Phil Humber
(Chicago White Sox), Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants) and now by Hernandez,
prompting the 2012-13 season to be christened as “Baseball’s Perfect Season”.
King Felix, already
considered one of the premier pitchers of his generation, now has another bit
of history to add to his 2010 Cy Young Award. It’s a pity however that his
team, the Mariners, are consistently out of play-off contention. What a sight
it would be to see him take the mound for game one of the World Series. May baseball
fans not be denied that pleasure too long!
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