A perfect game is a complete game pitched without a runner reaching base either by hit, base-on-balls, or error. It is one of the rarest feats in baseball and a subset of no-hitters. The first major league perfect game was thrown in 1880 by Lee Richmond. Only five days later, John Ward threw the second one. On June 12, 1880 J. Lee Richmond pitched his way into history when he threw professional baseball’s first perfect game in Worcester.
Lee Richmond of the Worcester Worcesters threw a perfect game against the Cleveland Blues at Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds. Richmond joined the Worcesters in 1879, and quickly brought legitimacy to the team with his pitching abilities. The day before his perfect game, Richmond attended graduation festivities at Brown University. After celebrating through the night, he participated in a class baseball game in the morning and only slept for a few hours before pitching his perfect game. Of the 27 batters he faced, the at bat that posed the greatest threat to breaking up the perfect game came in the fifth inning. Blues batter Bill Phillips hit what looked to be a single, but Worcesters right fielder Lon Knight fielded the ball and threw to first baseman Chub Sullivan to record the out.
The concept of a perfect game did not exist in 1880, and thus there was little discussion of Richmond's accomplishment.
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