Bob - that's a fabulous pick-up. I grew up in the '60s, listening to the Astros on the radio. Had to use an earplug and pull the sheets way over my head so my brother wouldn't narc me out to my parents. On nights when the Astros weren't playing, I listened to the White Sox games - they naturally became a favorite team of mine, but I still have no idea why I could pick up a Chicago station in East Texas. Weird how I can remember those nights as if it was yesterday. Walt 'no neck' Williams, etc.
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Originally Posted by Bobmc
During my youth in the mid '60's I loyally pulled for the White Sox and became a big fan of their outstanding pitchers (Horlen, Peters, John, Buzhardt, Pizarro etc); a favorite player was Joe Horlen.
The '67 A.L. pennant race captured many fans' attention like nothing else had before in baseball. Each new day's boxscores intensified the previous day's excitement. When Horlen tossed a no-hitter vs the Tigers on September 10th during the heated four team pennant chase, I became euphoric. Despite the fact the White Sox faltered the last week of the season and the cinderalla Bosox won the pennant, Horlen's no-hit performance stands out for me as an alltime baseball highlight. *Horlen finished that 1967 season with the A.L.'s lowest ERA...the last time a WSox pitcher won that title...Chris Sale has a chance to end that streak this year.*
The final out of Joe Horlen's no-hitter: Shortstop Ron Hansen grabbed the high bouncing ball off the bat of Detroit Tigers Dick McAuliffe and fired to firstbaseman Cotton Nash for the 3rd out in the ninth inning. Umpire Johnny Stevens made the out call at first base. Cotton Nash handed the ball to Joe moments later.
The markings applied to the ball in 1967 have faded a bit, reading simply:
Sept. 10, 1967 No HItter Chicago 6 Detroit 0 Chicago, Ill. The b&w image below of the postgame celebration shows Joe holding the ball that Cotton Nash (foreground) had handed to him seconds earlier.
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