What was the Greatest Pitching Duel of All-Time?

[clydepepper]

They used to be more common place 'way back when', but as the game changed so did their regularity.


I have a book titled, 'Pitched Battle: 35 of Baseball's Greatest Duels from the Mound'.

When I think of Great Pitching Duels, the first one that comes to mind is Game 7 of the 1991 World Series - two great pitchers deciding the World Championship! - though, technically, Smoltz did not finish the game and the winning and only run was scored off his reliever...it still stands alone, IMO, because of what was at stake.


I just purchased a lithograph of one of the runner-ups: July 3, 1963 in which Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn dueled for 15 scoreless innings at Candlestick before Willie Mays ended it with a one-out homer in the bottom of the 16th.


Two years later, the Giants' Bob Henley pitched a 1-hitter vs. the Dodgers the same day Sandy Koufax authored his perfect game.

WaJo vs. Smoky Joe in 1912, Toney vs. Vaughn in 1917 and Harvey Haddix's 13-inning almost perfect game are among the others mentioned in this book.


Share you opinions and choices.

[AGuinness]

I wondered if game score for pitchers would be useful to find some of the best duels, here is what Wikipedia has:
“The two highest game scores ever recorded both occurred in the same game: the famous 26-inning duel from 1920, Joe Oeschger scored 153 and Leon Cadore scored 140. Oeschger had earlier scored a 102 in a 14-inning game in 1917 against Jeff Pfeffer, who scored 114. Oeschger's record in these games was 0-0, because both ended in ties and were called by darkness. In all, there have been nine games in which both starting pitchers scored 100 points; all required extra innings and none has occurred since 1971. Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn scored 112 and 97, respectively, during a complete game 16-inning match up; Spahn's score fell below 100 because of Willie Mays' game-winning home run in the bottom of the 16th.”


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[SAllen2556]

Not sure where this would rank all time, but I was just reading about the 1915 Detroit Tigers. They won 100 games but lost the pennant to the Red Sox.

The Tigers arrived at Fenway on September 16th just 2 games back of the Sox for a huge 4 game series. They split the first two games, and then on the 18th Harry Coveleski and Ernie Shore each pitched shutout ball until the bottom of the 12th when the Sox scored on two infield hits and an error. The Sox won the next day as well when some dumb rookie pitcher named Babe Ruth beat the Tigers, effectively ending the Tigers' pennant hopes.

At the time it was considered quite a big deal.

Detroit_Free_Press_Sun__Sep_19__1915_.jpg

[Bill77]

Not really a pitching duel, but...

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by Bill77

Not really a pitching duel, but...

not with one guy getting six hits...

[Touch'EmAll]

August 14, 1915 - Ruth defeats Johnson 4-3
April 17, 1916 - Ruth defeats Johnson 5-1
June 1, 1916 - Ruth defeats Johnson 1-0
August 15, 1916 - Ruth defeats Johnson 1-0 in 13 innings
Sept. 9, 1916 - Ruth defeats Johnson 2-1
Sept. 12, 1916 - Johnson defeats Ruth 4-3

Walter Johnson was in his prime. Ruth defeated him 5 times in a row before he lost to The Big Train. Walter Johnson is considered one of the top pitchers of all time, arguably the best.

I bet those 1-0 games would have been priceless to see!

[PowderedH2O]

It kinda makes you wonder... what if Babe Ruth was a hitter as good as most pitchers, so he never was converted? Would he have been one of the all-time greats like Johnson?

[rats60]

It has to be Koufax vs. Hendley. Hendley gave up 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 unearned run after a walk, sacrifice and throwing error on a SB attempt.

[Corporal Lance Boil]

Surprised no one has mentioned Addie Joss versus Ed Walsh on October 2, 1908.

Tight pennant race, Joss throws a perfect game and Ed Walsh only gives up 4 hits, striking out 15. The only run came on a passed ball/wild pitch.