PERFECTION!

I will forever remember this day: July 23rd, 2009.

I sat at my work desk yesterday, and listened to the White Sox on the radio - and what I heard was legendary.

Mark Buerhle threw a perfect hame! The 2nd no-hitter of his incredible career, as well as the 2nd perfect gamein White Sox history (first since 1922). Only the 18th perfect game since the creation of the great game of baseball!

Think about these interesting facts about Mark's perfect game...

1) Mark is only the 16th pitcher to throw a "perfecto" since the year 1900.
2) Only 6 players - EVER - (including Mark) have thrown both a no-hitter AND a perfecto.
3) 18 of the 27 at-bats in the game were under 1 minute in duration.
4) Mark was technically only on the field for 32 minutes out of the entire 2 hour and 3 minute game.
5) Both Mark's no-hitter and his perfecto lasted EXACTLY 2 hours and 3 minutes, and involved the same home plate umpire
6) Only 2 other guys, besides Mark, have the following accomplishments (all as members of one team): 1 no-hitter, 1 perfecto, & 1 world series win. Those 2 players? CY YOUNG AND SANDY KOUFAXAnd lets not forget that Mark also SAVED a world series game, AND has was credited with an All-Star game victory.
7) The man who caught Mark's perfecto was Ramon Castro, whom Buehrle had never thrown to before.
8) In the history of no-hitters, no pitcher did it against a better offensive team. The Rays, as of yesterday, ranked 3rd in the major leagues in runs scored - and were also amonth the elite in On Base Percentage.
9) And most impressive - Mark is the ONLY PITCHER IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL to throw 2 no-hitters in which he faced the absolute minimum amount of batters in BOTH games. Let me say that again....THE ONLY PITCHER IN HISTORY!
10) Oh, Mark is the first pitcher to have the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES call to congratulate him directly from Air Force One. Ridiculous.

The debate will rage for some time as to whether Mark is the best pitcher in the history of Chicago baseball. But if you ask me, I'll say that no other pitcher will ever reach the legendary status that he achieved yesterday afternoon.

Congrats Mark!

ROCK/ROLL,
Matt