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Winners and Losers A Truly Perfect Game Buehrle’s weekday masterpiece harkens back to a more simple time in sports hite Sox pitcher Mark but also of cable television, and the first Buehrle’s perfect game on July By Bob Latham non–World Series perfect game on a 23 in Chicago had a number of work day in the era not only of televi - noteworthy aspects. First of all, Buehrle sion but also of radio. Sure there were Wbecame the first pitcher in baseball his - in the ninth inning to rob Gabe Kapler of ways to follow the game online if you tory to face the minimum 27 batters in a a home run. Would he drop it or not? I were alerted to what was happening, game twice, having thrown a no-hitter in would have appreciated the opportunity but the chances of a substantial chunk of 2007 against the Texas Rangers in which to look for any hitch in Buehrle’s consis - the nation being so alerted are reduced he walked Sammy Sosa but then picked tent, workmanlike manner as he on a weekday afternoon. him off base. Additionally, the 27 batters approached a milestone so rare that only It’s interesting to contemplate what he mowed down on July 23 were part of 17 other pitchers in the 134-year history affects our sports consciousness the most: a string of 45 consecutive batters Buehrle of Major League Baseball had accom - the indelible memory of something retired (a major league record), you’ve actually seen that is rein - taking a perfect game into the You think it’s easy to get that forced by the emotion of the sixth inning of his next start on 27th out if you’ve already moment, or the mystique of July 28. But what also struck me retired 26? Think again. something that you only hear is that Buehrle’s perfect game about later. Whichever way you occurred on an otherwise unre - prefer to capture your historic markable Thursday afternoon moments, I take some old- in the middle of the baseball season. plished it (between April 1922 and Octo - school pleasure in knowing that such a We get so used to sports drama play - ber 1956, a span of 34 years, there were superb sports performance can still hap - ing out before our very eyes with great no perfect games). I would have liked to pen before an intimate and dedicated fanfare that it’s unusual for one of the have been on the edge of my seat as group of fans without going vira l— with - most rare and monumental achieve - Buehrle faced his 27th batter. You think out Buehrle himself tweeting between ments in American professional sports it’s easy to get that 27th out if you’ve innings: “only 6 more to g o— hope my to take place somewhat under the radar, already retired 26? Think again. Nine infielders don’t screw up.” It harkens at least while it was happening. Gener - times a pitcher has retired the first 26 back to a time before “SportsCenter,” and ally speaking, anything noteworthy in batters he faced only to lose a perfect nationally televised sporting events American professional sports is covered game facing the 27th. In other words, a every night, and even before predomi - nationally, and is scrutinized frame by full 33 percent of pitchers who have nately night baseball, when players went frame as if it were the Zapruder film. If been in a situation where they only to work just like the rest of us and we any player is about to do something his - needed one more out for a perfect game only talked about it at day’s end. toric, we are kept up to date constantly, have not been able to get it done. In 1951, after Bobby Thomson hit his with all coverage shifting to the event Yet, as I came to terms with my own famous “shot heard round the world” when it happens. NFL games take place obliviousness to what had unfolded that to clinch the National League pennant either on weekend days or in prime time afternoon while I was going about my for the New York Giants, he traveled when the world can tune in, or at least own day job, I began to think that there home alone via public transportatio n— monitor. In the NBA, if Wilt Chamber - is something a bit refreshing about the just like the rest of the day’s com - lain’s 100-point game happened today, fact that even today, when all types of muters. That a lunch-bucket guy like word would be out about the time he hit communication methods would alert us Buehrle could, in 2009, get up in the 75 or 80, and we would all tune in to to an impending historic event, such an morning, go to work at the same time as watch it that night. But I would venture event in our most historic of sports the rest of us, discharge his duties per - to guess that many ardent sports fans, at could take place with little contempo - fectly, and be home in time for dinne r— least those outside Chicago and Tampa rary fanfare or suspension of life as we interrupted only by a 30-second Bay (the White Sox’s opponent that day), know it. Buehrle’s masterpiece was the congratulatory call from a White Sox did not hear about Buehrle’s perfect first perfect game on a weekday after - fan named Barack Obam a— may maIke game until it was over. noon since Don Larsen’s in the 1956 his pitching gem all the more perfect. My first reaction was to be somewhat World Series, and the first regular-sea - disappointed. For instance, I would love son weekday afternoon perfect game Bob Latham is a partner at the Texas- to have been able to share in the drama since Addie Joss in 1908. In other words, based law firm Jackson Walker, L.L.P., and of DeWayne Wise’s spectacular, juggling this was the first perfect game on a work is a former chairman of USA Rugby. He catch, reaching over the center-field wall day in the era not only of the Internet can be reached at [email protected] . SPORTS TRAVEL MAGAZINE .COM SEPTEMBER 2009 • S PORTS TRAVEL 53.

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