How many people have pitched a perfect game? This is a question that has intrigued baseball fans for over a century. A perfect game is a rare and extraordinary achievement in the sport, where a pitcher faces a batter in every inning without allowing any hits, walks, or errors. As of now, only 23 pitchers have managed to accomplish this remarkable feat in Major League Baseball (MLB) history.
The first perfect game in MLB history was thrown by Cy Young on May 5, 1904, for the Boston Americans. Since then, only 22 other pitchers have joined the exclusive club of perfect game pitchers. The most recent perfect game was thrown by Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners on August 15, 2012, against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The rarity of the perfect game is not only due to the physical and mental challenges it presents to a pitcher but also to the nature of baseball itself. Pitchers must be able to execute a variety of pitches with pinpoint accuracy, while hitters must be able to make contact with the ball and hit it hard enough to reach the outfield. The combination of these factors makes a perfect game a truly remarkable achievement.
Among the 23 pitchers who have thrown perfect games, some have become legendary figures in the sport. Cy Young, for example, is often regarded as the greatest pitcher of all time, and his perfect game is one of the many reasons for his enduring fame. Other notable perfect game pitchers include Don Larsen of the New York Yankees, who threw a perfect game in the World Series in 1956, and Jim Bunning of the Philadelphia Phillies, who threw a perfect game in 1964.
The perfect game has also become a symbol of the human spirit and the limits of human potential. Pitchers who throw perfect games often overcome personal challenges, such as injuries or setbacks, to achieve this extraordinary feat. For example, David Cone of the New York Yankees threw a perfect game in 1999 after overcoming a long layoff due to injury.
In conclusion, the number of people who have pitched a perfect game in MLB history is 23, a testament to the rarity and difficulty of this remarkable achievement. As baseball continues to evolve, the perfect game remains a cherished part of the sport’s history and a symbol of the extraordinary feats that can be achieved by those who push themselves to the limit.
