AboutTom Schott Expertise I will deal with the major leagues only from 19th century to present. I`m good on baseball history, records, statistics, ballparks. I don't do off-the-field stuff. Please if you already know the answer to the question, please don't ask it. I don't want to play "stump the expert."
Experience I've written on the subject, and I have substantial library of resources.
Organizations SABR
Publications Numerous encyclopedia, newspaper, magazine articles. One book, several book chapters.
Question I am a Chisox and Mark Buerhle fan. It is written that he threw the 18th perfect game in the history of MLB. I have two questions.
Question 1. How many chances have their been to throw a perfect game (i.e. how many games have been played to date)
Question 2. Of all the "perfect games...which game and pitcher threw the least amount of pitches? Which threw the most strikeouts? Which threw the most strikeouts swinging?
Thanks.Tom
Answer Tom,
I cannot answer all these questions. There are more than two, for starters. But I can give you some of the information you're seeking.
How many games played to date? From 1876 to present: 388,474 games, in other words, a .0000463 percent chance of somebody pitching a perfect game.
Sandy Koufax struck out 14 Chicago Cubs in his perfect game on September 9, 1965.
Pitch counts and specific play-by-play reports to tell what strikeouts were swinging are quite recent in the history of baseball statistics.
