Today we look at a feat that took two roommates to pull off. On May 15, 1966 the Rocky Mount Leafs of the Carolina League had a doubleheader with the Greensboro Yankees at War Memorial Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Even back then in the minor league doubleheaders they played 7 inning games. Game one of the doubleheader was pitched by future major leaguer Dick Drago. Drago on this particular day pitched a 5-0 no-hitter against the home club. His roommate Darrel Clark in seeing Drago pitch a no-hitter must of thought if he can do it so can I. In pitching the second game, Clark spun a 2-0 no-hitter of his own. Although this is not a record as far as one club holding another hitless though the most innings, that record is 17, this record here this still a very noteworthy event. This feat has never been repeated anywhere else in professional baseball history, a very unique accomplishment. Clark never did make the majors or even AAA, his career ended a year later. Drago did pitch for 5 MLB teams in a 13 year career.
Tomorrow we look at a basaeball first in the American League. Have a great weekend everyone!!

Michael Jordan had a fine basketball career with the Chicago Bulls. During his long career he set many records and enjoyed many great games. On May 14, 1989 in a game against the New York Knicks enjoyed a great day at the foul line when he hit 23 free throws in 106-93 victory of the New York Knicks. His performance today ranks as second all-time in the playoffs. The win gave the Bulls a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Jordan always had many ways to beat an opponent, his sucess at the foul line was just one of them.
The Bulls did go on to face the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals, however Jordan could not weave his magic over the Pistons as the Pistons went on to sweep the Lakers in the league finals.
Tomorrow we look at a 2 no-hitters in a double header feat in them minor leagues

27K in 9 innings

On May 13, 1952 one of professsional baseball histories greatest pitching performances took place at Shaw Stadium in Bristol, Virginia. Ronald Necciai of the Bristol Twins struck out 27 batters in a 7-0 no-hitter over the Welch Miners. One batter did reach basae on a wild third strike. One hitter did manage to ground out.

So how was it that Necciai did not start a Hall of Fame career right then and there. Well, one game or season does not a career make. Necciai had signed with the Pirates as an 18 year olld free agent in 1950. He did have some moderate success early peaking at AA ball with the New Orleans Pelicans in 1951. After a great 6 game start with the Twins, he was promoted to the Burlington-Grahm Pirates of the Class B Carolina League. This is where he spent the bulk of the season. In early August he got called up to the Pirates for a 12 game stint. In his last appearance, he struck out a career high 8 batters aginst the Reds in a seven inning performance. Unfortunately he never made it back. He did come close, pitching three games for the Hollywood Stars at the end of his career in 1955.

Many of the people profiled in this project are shooting stars in the history of the game. Not everyone can be Willie Mays or Yogi Berra. as for tommorrow we will look at one of the many feats of Basketball great Michael Jordan.

Yogi Berra

On May 12, 1925 the Berra family of Saint Louis, Missouri welcomed a new addition. Their newborn son was named Lawrence Peter Berra. Lawrence grew up learning to play baseball. One of his friends nicknamed him "Yogi". In 1943 Yogi signed a contact with the New York Yankees and the rest of is history. He was assigned to their farm club at Norfolk, Virginia. His next assignment was with the Navy. After his service in World War II, Berra returned and was assigned to the Yankee farm club at Newark, New Jersey. At the end of season he was called up to the Yankees. A Hall of Fame career then began. The world soon learned of his unique way of speaking. After his playing career. which included 14 World Series and 14 All-Star Game appearances, he became a coach and a manager. Still quite revered as one of the games teachers. Happy Birthday Yogi!!!

Tomorrow we look at one of professional baseball greatest pitching performances, a 27 strikeout game.

United States Football League

On May 11, 1982 the United States Football announced to world its founding as a 12 club spring football league. A year later the league began its history on the playing field. This announcement was not the first time the United States Football League announced its founding.

On July 24, 1944 plans were anounced to field a new football league with clubs in Akron, OH; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Honolulu, HI; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA and Saint Louis, MO. This league of course never hit the playing field even with Red Grange as league president.

In the early months of 1957 another attempt to form the league was made. This time the cities of Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Buffalo, NY; Cincinnati, OH, Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; Miami, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Minneapolis, MN; New Orleans, LA and Saint Louis, MO. Once again the league failed to reach the playing field.

By 1961 a league called the United States Football League did manage to reach the playing field as the Grand Rapids Shamrocks and the Columbus Colts played in the championship game. The other league members were the Akron Pros; Cleveland Bulldogs; Indianapolis Warriors and the Louisville Raiders.

At the end of June 1966 another attempt to form was made. The initial league announcement was that a 12 club league would be formed consisting of Anaheim, CA and 11 other cities.

Even today yet another attempt to form a new version of the league is underway. Will this league do any better then the other attempts. Quite possibly it will, however the odds are very long against it. I hope this league does actually hit the playing field.

While we wait to see if this league does make it, we will take a look at Baseball great Yogi Berra.

Following the bouncing basketball clubs

On November 1, 1946 a new basketball league began play. The Basketball Association was trying to wrestle control of the basketball world from the established National Basketball League. After two seasons of play it was clear that a victor in the fight was emerging.
On May 10, 1948 four clubs from the National Basketball League agreed to join the upstart league. The Fort Wayne Pistons, Indianapolis Jets, Minneapolis Lakers and the Rochester Royals were the clubs changing leagues. The Pistons next move was nine years later when the moved to Detroit. The Jets folded a year later. The Lakers next big move was during the 1959-60 season when they announced their move to Los Angeles. The Royals made several moves, first to Cincinnati, then to Kansas City and finally in 1985 to Sacramento, CA, where they are now the Kings.
Just a year later the surviving clubs of the National Basketball League merged into the league that was then renamed the National Basketball Association. I firmly believe that to appreicate a sport is to understand the history of that sport. One can not claim to be American without knowing and appreicating her great history. Why would anyone claim to be a great fan of any sport without knowledge of its history. Many sports have a long and great history, learning about it increasing your appreication for it.
Tomorrow we will look at Football and the founding of the United States Football League.

Hit into one, pull one

By my count 41 fielders have pulled an unassisted triple play. Each one these plays have a unique story of their own to tell. One of the more unique stories involves player by the name of Roy Akin. On July 19, 1911 Akins of the Los Angles Angels contribution to history was he hit a ball into shallow centerfield that Walter Carlisle of Vernon turned into the only known unassisted triple play pulled by an outfielder.
The story of Akin and unassisted triple plays did not end there. On May 9, 1912 less then a year later, Akin was a member of the Waco Navigators of the Texas League. The club had a game at West End Park in Houston. In the bottom of the first inning Akin had a second brush with history. Akin was playing third base for the Navigators when he himself pulled his own unassisted triple play. Unfortunately for Akin and his teammates, the Buffaloes won the game by score of 5-4. The real strange thing is that the year before, in the game Akin hit into an unassisted triple play the Angels lost by a score of, you guessed it 5-4.
As with a perfect game, the unassisted triple play is one of plays that all baseball fans long to see, but rarely see. For tomorrow we look at some early movement of clubs in the league that became the National Basketball Association.
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