Carl Hubbell
July 2, 1933: The New York Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 1-0 at the Polo Grounds. Hughie Critz singled home Jo-Jo Moore with the winning run. This hit came in the bottom of the 18th inning.
Carl Hubbell of the Giants went the distance. The number of pitches the lefthanded screwballer threw in what were, essentially, 2 complete games is not known. What is known is that the native of Meeker, Oklahoma, known as "King Carl" and "The Meal Ticket," pitched shutout ball for 18 innings, allowing just 6 hits and no walks, striking out 12. I think part of that should be repeated, and spelled out: Eighteen innings, and no walks.
James "Tex" Carleton went 16 innings for the Cardinals, before giving way to Jesse Haines. Like Hubbell, Haines would be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. This game was not part of the reason Haines got in. Also in this game and going to Cooperstown: For the Giants, manager and 1st baseman Bill Terry, right fielder Mel Ott, and shortstop Travis Jackson; for the Cardinals, manager and 2nd baseman Frankie Frisch (a former Giant), left fielder Joe Medwick, and shortstop Leo Durocher (elected on the basis of his later managing).
And this 18-inning epic was the 1st game of a doubleheader. Despite the Polo Grounds not getting lights until 1940, the 2nd game was played in full. And the Giants won it, 1-0. Roy Parmalee pitched a 4-hit shutout, beating Dizzy Dean, another future Hall-of-Famer. Parmalee pitched 9 innings, striking out 13, and walking none.
So, the Giants scored 2 runs in 27 innings in 1 day, and walked away with 2 wins. In 27 innings, 25 strikeouts, and no walks.
NO WALKS IN TWENTY-SEVEN INNINGS IN ONE DAY!
The expression "Beat that with a stick" comes to mind, but the Cardinals tried that very thing, with their bats, and couldn't do it.
The Giants went on to win the World Series that season. The Cardinals did it the next year. From 1933 to 1937, Hubbell and Dean, and Negro Leaguer Satchel Paige, were the 3 best pitchers on the planet.
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July 2, 1933 was a Sunday. Future hockey star Ken Wharram was born. These other baseball games were played that day:
* The New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians, 7-3 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Walter "Jumbo" Brown outpitched Mel Harder. Babe Ruth went 1-for-5. Lou Gehrig went 0-for-4 with a walk, and had an RBI on a sacrifice fly.
* The Brooklyn Dodgers swept the Chicago Cubs, 7-3 and 4-3 at Ebbets Field.
* A doubleheader was split at Braves Field in Boston. The Boston Braves won the opener, 1-0. Ed Brandt pitched a 4-hit shutout. The Cincinnati Reds won the nightcap, 3-0. Larry Benton pitched a 3-hit shutout.
* A doubleheader was split at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The Philadelphia Athletics won the 1st game, 6-5. Dib Williams singled Mickey Cochrane home with the winning run in the top of the 10th inning. Lefty Grove won the game in relief. The St. Louis Browns won the 2nd game, 11-6. Williams hit a home run, and Jimmie Foxx hit 2.
* The Detroit Tigers and the Washington Senators were rained out at Navin Field (later Briggs Stadium and Tiger Stadium) in Detroit. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on August 23. The Tigers won the 1st game, 2-1. The Senators won the 2nd game, 9-5.
* The Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox were rained out at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on August 24. The Red Sox won the 1st game, 6-1. The White Sox won the 2nd game, 7-6. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Al Simmons drew a walk, and Luke Appling tripled him home.
* And the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates were not scheduled. A few weeks later, the Pennsylvania legislature would pass a law allowing professional sports to be played on Sunday in the State, making home games on Sunday for the Pirates, the Phillies, and the Philadelphia Athletics possible.
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