Being that I grew up two miles from Shea Stadium, my Father (and other male relatives) figured an outing for my first ever ballgame to the two month old ball park was in order to celebrate my birthday, exactly a week earlier, and Father's Day, on Sunday, June 21, 1964. The hapless third year Mets were hosting the pennant contending Phillies (they blew it the last week of the season) in a doubleheader. In game 1, future US Senator/Hall of Famer Jim Bunning had his way with the Mets in his finest career outing by throwing a perfect game, the first perfect game thrown in the NL in the 20th century.
However, the second game was almost as remarkable. Phils' Rookie Pitcher Rick Wise made his major league debut and recorded the win. He did not give up a hit to the first 13 batters he faced, so the Mets went 40 plate appearances that afternoon without a hit. The first hit was the lone hit for the Mets until the seventh when they recorded only 2 more on the day. Eighteen innings and three hits for the Amazin's - perhaps the most futile offensive performance in a single day in baseball history.
Rick Wise would eventually land on the Red Sox where he would become the winningest regular season pitcher on the 1975 AL pennant team. So, after seeing a perfect game in my first attendance at a ballgame, I have been hooked ever since.
Happy Father's Day to all those celebrating
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Topic: Sunday, June 21, 1964 - A Father's Day Baseball Tale (Read 816 times)
