CONSECUTIVE NO HITTERS BY JOHNNY VANDER MEER

Johnny Vander Meer's Two Consecutive No-Hitters | Baseball Almanac

There are some records that are meant to be broken. Babe Ruth's single season home run title was taken over by Roger Maris, then Mark McGwire, and most recently Barry Bonds. Even those that were supposed to last forever like Ty Cobb's career hits records and Lou Gehrig's consecutive games played streak each falling to Pete Rose and Cal Ripken, Jr respectively, but this is one record that will never be broken: In 1938, Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitched two consecutive no-hitters. In order to break this record, a pitcher would have to pitch three consecutive no-hitters — simply impossible!

1938 was Vander Meer's first full season; however, the often wild throwing lefty did not let that get to him. On June 11th at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Vander Meer walked three while striking out four and allowing no hits against the Boston Bees. No Boston player even made it past first base. Four days later in Brooklyn, he was a little less steady. He walked eight and struck out seven in the very first night game at Ebbets Field. He needed a little help from some spectacular plays by his teammates and almost ended the streak himself when he walked the bases full in the ninth, but a well placed pop up by Leo Durocher ended the threat.

In his thirteen year career, he never again recreated the magic of this, his sophomore season. The four-time All-Star will never be remembered for his so-so career split of 119-121, but will instead forever be ingrained in the minds of all baseball historians and fans as the man who created the most unbeatable, unbelievable, fabulous pitching feat in the history of the game. Research by Baseball Almanac.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"All the publicity, the attention, the interviews, the photographs, were too much for me (after throwing his second no-hitter in 1938)." - Vander Meer, Johnny. Associated Press Wire. 1939.

Johnny Vander Meer | No-Hitter #1
June 11, 1938

Johnny Vander Meer No Hitter #1

Line Score | Box Score

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Cincinnati 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 x 3 6 0
Danny MacFayden (L) Johnny Vander Meer (W)
None Ernie Lombardi
Johnny Vander Meer No-Hitter #1

Johnny Vander Meer | No-Hitter #2
June 15, 1938

Johnny Vander Meer No Hitter #2

Line Score | Box Score

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cincinnati 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 1 0 6 11 0
Brooklyn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Johnny Vander Meer (W)
  -
  -
  -
Max Butcher (L)
  Tot Pressnell (3rd)
  Luke Hamlin (7th)
  Vito Tamulis (9th)
Frank McCormick None
Johnny Vander Meer No-Hitter #2
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baseball almanac fast facts

Did you know that these two complete game shutout wins were also part of a nine game consecutive win streak by Johnny Vander Meer during the 1938 season?

Johnny Vander Meer was a lefthanded fastball pitcher who, because of these games, also became the first to ever throw two no-hitters during the same season! AND, Vander Meer went on to set a new — still-standing — National League record for consecutive hitless innings with twenty-one and two-thirds (21.2).

Hard to find / accurate box scores for each historic no-hitter can be found by following the links on the navigation menu under the main menu on the left side of screen. On behalf of the research team at Baseball Almanac, enjoy.