The Best Game Ever Pitched

     Harvey Haddix was a pitcher who played from 1952-1965. He was a good player, sporting a career 136-113 record with a 3.63 ERA. Kitten, as he was nicknamed, very well may have thrown the best game ever by a pitcher. 
    It was May 26, 1959. Haddix's Pirates were playing the Milwaukee Braves, who were 23-14, as compared to the 21-19 record of the Pirates. The pitching matchup was Lew Burdette vs. Haddix.
    Both pitchers were throwing well on the season. Burdette had a 7-2 record, and Haddix was 4-2. 
    At the start of the game, both pitchers were perfect through the first. Burdette's perfect game ended in the second on a single by Pirates 1B Rocky Nelson. However, Haddix remained perfect in the second.
    The game raged. The Pirates were able to get on base, but unable to score. However, the Braves were unable even to get a baserunner through the first 9. This would have been a perfect game for Haddix, but his pathetic offense was unable to help him while he was pitching the best game of his life.
    The game flew into extra innings (with no runner on second at the start of the inning). Lew Burdette threw a scoreless tenth, allowing only a single by Don Hoak. Harvey Haddix was perfect again through the tenth. In the eleventh inning, Pirates shortstop Dick Schofield hit a single, but again, the Pirates were unable to capitalize on the few mistakes from Burdette. But Haddix wasn't making any mistakes. He set down the Braves again, 1-2-3 to end the eleventh. 
    The twelfth inning started with Burdette still on the mound for the Braves. With two outs in the inning, Bill Mazeroski was able to single, but it was of no avail. Again, Lew Burdette was able to escape without a run allowed. Kitten was perfect again in the twelfth, giving his team yet another chance to win the game, and giving himself another chance at one of baseball's greatest feats. 
    The thirteenth inning came around, and both pitchers were still furiously throwing, hoping to win the game. Dick Schoefield singled again off of Burdette, but the pitcher was able to escape trouble again. 
    So now it was Haddix's turn to remain perfect, right? Wrong! Felix Mantilla of the Braves was the first batter of the inning, and he reached on a throwing error by third baseman Don Hoak. How embarrassing! You ruined your pitcher's perfecto with your filthy errors!
    Anyway, after an Eddie Matthews sac bunt, Haddix intentionally walked Hank Aaron. Then the hero of the game, Joe Adcock, came to bat and hit a slider over the wall. However, because Hank Aaron never finished rounding the bases, the game was officially a 1-0 loss.

    So, quite possibly the best game ever pitched was a loss. Haddix threw 12 2/3 innings (12 perfect), and gave up only one hit and one walk (which was intentional). The winning pitcher, Lew Burdette, threw 13 innings and gave up twelve hits. It was obvious who did better. And who knows, maybe Haddix would have thrown his perfect game if Don Hoak had never made the error. I can imagine that he felt terrible after doing it. 

If you want to hear Haddix's side of the thirteenth, see this: