Warren Spahn was born on Saturday, April 23, 1921, in Buffalo, New York. Spahn was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 19, 1942, with the Boston Braves. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Warren Spahn baseball stats page.
"He's beyond comparison with any modern lefthander. He has beaten every handicap - the live ball, second division teams. No one can ever say anything to deny his greatness." - Stengel, Casey. Winningest Pitchers: Baseball's 300-game Winners. Westcott, Rich. Author. Temple Univ. Publishing. July 2002. Page 108. [Warren Spahn Quotes]
Warren SpahnWarren Spahn Autograph on a 1991 Topps Archives Baseball Card (#147 | Checklist) |
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Warren SpahnWarren Spahn Pitching Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
1942 | 21 | Braves | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 5.74 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15.2 | 79 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
1946 | 25 | Braves | 24 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 5 | .615 | 2.94 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 125.2 | 514 | 107 | 41 | 46 | 6 | 36 | 2 | 67 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - |
1947 | 26 | Braves | 40 | 35 | 4 | 21 | 10 | .677 | 2.33 | 22 | 7 | 3 | 289.2 | 1,174 | 245 | 75 | 87 | 15 | 84 | 4 | 123 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - |
1948 | 27 | Braves | 36 | 35 | 1 | 15 | 12 | .556 | 3.71 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 257.0 | 1,064 | 237 | 106 | 115 | 19 | 77 | 4 | 114 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - |
1949 | 28 | Braves | 38 | 38 | 0 | 21 | 14 | .600 | 3.07 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 302.1 | 1,258 | 283 | 103 | 125 | 27 | 86 | 6 | 151 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
1950 | 29 | Braves | 41 | 39 | 2 | 21 | 17 | .553 | 3.16 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 293.0 | 1,217 | 248 | 103 | 123 | 22 | 111 | 5 | 191 | 8 | 1 | 0 | - |
1951 | 30 | Braves | 39 | 36 | 3 | 22 | 14 | .611 | 2.98 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 310.2 | 1,289 | 278 | 103 | 111 | 20 | 109 | 6 | 164 | 7 | 1 | 1 | - |
1952 | 31 | Braves | 40 | 35 | 5 | 14 | 19 | .424 | 2.98 | 19 | 5 | 3 | 290.0 | 1,190 | 263 | 96 | 109 | 19 | 73 | 9 | 183 | 5 | 6 | 0 | - |
1953 | 32 | Braves | 35 | 32 | 3 | 23 | 7 | .767 | 2.10 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 265.2 | 1,055 | 211 | 62 | 75 | 14 | 70 | 13 | 148 | 3 | 1 | 2 | - |
1954 | 33 | Braves | 39 | 34 | 2 | 21 | 12 | .636 | 3.14 | 23 | 1 | 3 | 283.1 | 1,175 | 262 | 99 | 107 | 24 | 86 | 16 | 136 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - |
1955 | 34 | Braves | 39 | 32 | 7 | 17 | 14 | .548 | 3.26 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 245.2 | 1,025 | 249 | 89 | 99 | 25 | 65 | 4 | 110 | 4 | 2 | 0 | - |
1956 | 35 | Braves | 39 | 35 | 3 | 20 | 11 | .645 | 2.78 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 281.1 | 1,113 | 249 | 87 | 92 | 25 | 52 | 12 | 128 | 7 | 3 | 0 | - |
1957 | 36 | Braves | 39 | 35 | 4 | 21 | 11 | .656 | 2.69 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 271.0 | 1,111 | 241 | 81 | 94 | 23 | 78 | 4 | 111 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - |
1958 | 37 | Braves | 38 | 36 | 1 | 22 | 11 | .667 | 3.07 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 290.0 | 1,176 | 257 | 99 | 106 | 29 | 76 | 7 | 150 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - |
1959 | 38 | Braves | 40 | 36 | 3 | 21 | 15 | .583 | 2.96 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 292.0 | 1,203 | 282 | 96 | 106 | 21 | 70 | 9 | 143 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - |
1960 | 39 | Braves | 40 | 33 | 5 | 21 | 10 | .677 | 3.50 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 267.2 | 1,110 | 254 | 104 | 114 | 24 | 74 | 9 | 154 | 1 | 4 | 0 | - |
1961 | 40 | Braves | 38 | 34 | 3 | 21 | 13 | .618 | 3.02 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 262.2 | 1,064 | 236 | 88 | 96 | 24 | 64 | 1 | 115 | 4 | 4 | 0 | - |
1962 | 41 | Braves | 34 | 34 | 0 | 18 | 14 | .563 | 3.04 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 269.1 | 1,088 | 248 | 91 | 97 | 25 | 55 | 4 | 118 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
1963 | 42 | Braves | 33 | 33 | 0 | 23 | 7 | .767 | 2.60 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 259.2 | 1,037 | 241 | 75 | 85 | 23 | 49 | 4 | 102 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1964 | 43 | Braves | 38 | 25 | 11 | 6 | 13 | .316 | 5.29 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 173.2 | 759 | 204 | 102 | 110 | 23 | 52 | 4 | 78 | 6 | 2 | 0 | - |
1965 | 44 | Mets | 20 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 12 | .250 | 4.36 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 126.0 | 543 | 140 | 61 | 70 | 18 | 35 | 1 | 56 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - |
1965 | 44 | Giants | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 4 | .429 | 3.39 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 71.2 | 303 | 70 | 27 | 34 | 8 | 21 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - |
Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD | ||
21 Years | 750 | 665 | 67 | 363 | 245 | .597 | 3.09 | 382 | 63 | 29 | 5,243.2 | 21,547 | 4,830 | 1,798 | 2,016 | 434 | 1,434 | 125 | 2,583 | 81 | 42 | 5 | 0 |
Warren SpahnWarren Spahn Hitting Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
1942 | 21 | Braves | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 | .167 | .167 |
1946 | 25 | Braves | 24 | 43 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .163 | .200 | .186 |
1947 | 26 | Braves | 41 | 98 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 29 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .163 | .212 | .204 |
1948 | 27 | Braves | 37 | 90 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .167 | .219 | .233 |
1949 | 28 | Braves | 40 | 111 | 11 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .162 | .191 | .216 |
1950 | 29 | Braves | 41 | 106 | 7 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .217 | .265 | .245 |
1951 | 30 | Braves | 42 | 116 | 8 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .190 | .230 | .284 |
1952 | 31 | Braves | 52 | 112 | 10 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .161 | .190 | .250 |
1953 | 32 | Braves | 38 | 105 | 6 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .219 | .226 | .324 |
1954 | 33 | Braves | 41 | 101 | 4 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .208 | .266 | .297 |
1955 | 34 | Braves | 40 | 81 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .210 | .247 | .395 |
1956 | 35 | Braves | 39 | 105 | 8 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .210 | .239 | .324 |
1957 | 36 | Braves | 39 | 94 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .138 | .170 | .245 |
1958 | 37 | Braves | 41 | 108 | 10 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | .381 | .463 |
1959 | 38 | Braves | 40 | 104 | 11 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | .231 | .243 | .298 |
1960 | 39 | Braves | 40 | 95 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .147 | .186 | .263 |
1961 | 40 | Braves | 39 | 94 | 13 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .223 | .279 | .426 |
1962 | 41 | Braves | 36 | 98 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .184 | .223 | .276 |
1963 | 42 | Braves | 33 | 90 | 7 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .178 | .219 | .289 |
1964 | 43 | Braves | 39 | 59 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .186 | .183 | .271 |
1965 | 44 | Mets | 21 | 35 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .114 | .279 | .143 |
1965 | 44 | Giants | 16 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .143 | .208 | .143 |
Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
21 Years | 783 | 1,872 | 141 | 363 | 57 | 6 | 35 | 0 | 189 | 94 | 0 | 487 | 68 | 14 | 7 | 23 | .194 | .234 | .287 |
Warren SpahnWarren Spahn Fielding Stats |
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Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1942 Braves | P | 4 | 2 | 47 | 3 | 0.8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.72 |
1946 Braves | P | 24 | 16 | 377 | 20 | 0.8 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .900 | 1.29 |
1947 Braves | P | 40 | 35 | 869 | 54 | 1.4 | 53 | 5 | 48 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .981 | 1.65 |
1948 Braves | P | 36 | 35 | 771 | 57 | 1.6 | 56 | 4 | 52 | 1 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .982 | 1.96 |
1949 Braves | P | 38 | 38 | 907 | 59 | 1.6 | 55 | 14 | 41 | 4 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .932 | 1.64 |
1950 Braves | P | 41 | 39 | 879 | 72 | 1.8 | 64 | 9 | 55 | 8 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .889 | 1.97 |
1951 Braves | P | 39 | 36 | 932 | 60 | 1.5 | 57 | 7 | 50 | 3 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .950 | 1.65 |
1952 Braves | P | 40 | 35 | 870 | 79 | 2.0 | 74 | 18 | 56 | 5 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .937 | 2.30 |
1953 Braves | P | 35 | 32 | 797 | 69 | 2.0 | 65 | 12 | 53 | 4 | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .942 | 2.20 |
1954 Braves | P | 39 | 34 | 850 | 73 | 1.9 | 69 | 12 | 57 | 4 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .945 | 2.19 |
1955 Braves | P | 39 | 32 | 737 | 60 | 1.5 | 57 | 13 | 44 | 3 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .950 | 2.09 |
1956 Braves | P | 39 | 35 | 844 | 58 | 1.5 | 57 | 16 | 41 | 1 | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .983 | 1.82 |
1957 Braves | P | 39 | 35 | 813 | 65 | 1.7 | 65 | 18 | 47 | 0 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.16 |
1958 Braves | P | 38 | 36 | 870 | 80 | 2.1 | 78 | 11 | 67 | 2 | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .975 | 2.42 |
1959 Braves | P | 40 | 36 | 876 | 62 | 1.6 | 59 | 14 | 45 | 3 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .952 | 1.82 |
1960 Braves | P | 40 | 33 | 803 | 76 | 1.9 | 73 | 14 | 59 | 3 | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .961 | 2.45 |
1961 Braves | P | 38 | 34 | 788 | 81 | 2.1 | 79 | 16 | 63 | 2 | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .975 | 2.71 |
1962 Braves | P | 34 | 34 | 808 | 69 | 2.0 | 68 | 13 | 55 | 1 | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .986 | 2.27 |
1963 Braves | P | 33 | 33 | 779 | 85 | 2.6 | 82 | 11 | 71 | 3 | 8 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .965 | 2.84 |
1964 Braves | P | 38 | 25 | 521 | 46 | 1.2 | 40 | 4 | 36 | 6 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .870 | 2.07 |
1965 Mets | P | 20 | 19 | 378 | 30 | 1.5 | 29 | 4 | 25 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .967 | 2.07 |
1965 Giants | P | 16 | 11 | 215 | 21 | 1.3 | 20 | 4 | 16 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .952 | 2.51 |
Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
P Totals | 750 | 665 | 15,731 | 1,279 | 1.7 | 1,221 | 222 | 999 | 58 | 82 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .955 | 2.10 | |
21 Years | 750 | 665 | 15,731 | 1,279 | 1.7 | 1,221 | 222 | 999 | 58 | 82 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .955 | 2.10 |
Warren SpahnWarren Spahn Miscellaneous Stats |
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Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
1942 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.64 | 4.02 | 6.32 |
1946 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.1 | 10.8 | 1.86 | 4.80 | 2.58 |
1947 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.4 | 16.3 | 1.46 | 3.82 | 2.61 |
1948 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 90.0 | 3.8 | 12.9 | 1.48 | 3.99 | 2.70 |
1949 Braves | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 2 | n/a | 55.5 | 4.1 | 11.1 | 1.76 | 4.50 | 2.56 |
1950 Braves | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 106.0 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 1.72 | 5.87 | 3.41 |
1951 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 3 | n/a | 116.0 | 4.3 | 6.4 | 1.50 | 4.75 | 3.16 |
1952 Braves | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 9 | 3 | n/a | 56.0 | 4.9 | 12.4 | 2.51 | 5.68 | 2.27 |
1953 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 1 | 2 | n/a | 52.5 | 4.8 | 8.8 | 2.11 | 5.01 | 2.37 |
1954 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 2 | n/a | 101.0 | 5.9 | 10.1 | 1.58 | 4.32 | 2.73 |
1955 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 20.3 | 4.1 | 5.8 | 1.69 | 4.03 | 2.38 |
1956 Braves | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 35.0 | 3.3 | 10.5 | 2.46 | 4.09 | 1.66 |
1957 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 47.0 | 3.8 | 11.8 | 1.42 | 3.69 | 2.59 |
1958 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 0 | n/a | 54.0 | 4.5 | 7.2 | 1.97 | 4.66 | 2.36 |
1959 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 52.0 | 3.7 | 13.0 | 2.04 | 4.41 | 2.16 |
1960 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 31.7 | 3.7 | 13.6 | 2.08 | 5.18 | 2.49 |
1961 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 1 | 0 | n/a | 23.5 | 2.8 | 6.3 | 1.80 | 3.94 | 2.19 |
1962 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 0 | n/a | 49.0 | 3.3 | 10.9 | 2.15 | 3.94 | 1.84 |
1963 Braves | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 45.0 | 3.8 | 15.0 | 2.08 | 3.54 | 1.70 |
1964 Braves | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 0 | n/a | 59.0 | 5.9 | 11.8 | 1.50 | 4.04 | 2.69 |
1965 Mets | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.9 | 17.5 | 1.60 | 4.00 | 2.50 |
1965 Giants | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 4.2 | 21.0 | 1.62 | 4.27 | 2.64 |
Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
21 Years | 4 | 2 | .667 | 18 | 15 | n/a | 53.5 | 3.8 | 9.9 | 1.80 | 4.43 | 2.46 |
Warren Edward Spahn was a Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Boston Braves (1942-1952), Milwaukee Braves (1953-1954), New York Mets (1965), and San Francisco Giants (1965). Did you know Spahn, who was named for President Warren Harding, won 363 games — number five on the Top 1,000 Wins List / the thirteenth member of the 300 Wins Club — more than any other left-handed pitcher in Major League history?
Warren Spahn Rookie Card | 1948 Leaf Baseball Card (#32)
Baseball Almanac Research Library
The Warren Spahn Award, given to the Major Leagues' best left-handed pitcher, is named after Spahnie, who joined the Twenty-Wins Club thirteen times and threw two no-hitters:
Warren Spahn | No-Hitter #1 | Box Score: 09-16-1960
The fifth winningest pitcher ever to toe a big league rubber waited until he was 39 years old to pitch his first no-hitter. It came Friday September 16 on a humid, rainy night in Milwaukee before just 6,117 fans, the smallest crowd up to that point ever to attend a major league game at County Stadium.
The eighth place Phillies provided the opposition for the second place Braves. John Buzhardt was on the mound for the Phils. Spahn's record was 19-9.
The no-hitter came just 29 days after Spahn's teammate, Lew Burdette, had pitched a no-hit game against the very same Phillies.
In a magnificent performances, Spahn, mixing a live fastball with sharp breaking stuff, struck out 15 and walked two. He threw just 105 pitches, of which only 34 were balls. Only six balls were hit to the outfield.
Spahn fanned every batter in the Phillies' starting lineup except weak-hitting Bobby Malkmus at least once. He whiffed Tony Gonzalez three times.
The cocky southpaw breezed through the early innings, striking out six of the first nine hitters he faced. He retired Johnny Callison leading off the first on a fly to left, then got Malkmus on a grounder to short and Ken Walters swinging at a third strike.
Spahn struck out the side in the second, getting Pancho Herrera, Gonzalez and Cal Neeman to miss third strikes. His string of consecutive whiffs reached five in the third when he got Jim Woods on a 2-2 pitch leading off the inning. Ruben Amaro flew out to right to end the streak before Spahn fanned Buzhardt.
The perfect game was ruined in the fourth when Spahn issued a two-out walk to Walters. The runner was left stranded when Herrera hit a fly ball to center.
The Braves handed Spahn two runs in the bottom of the fourth when Hank Aaron singled and scored on Alvin Dark's triple. Dark came home on a sacrifice fly by Joe Adcock. Singles by Spahn, Bill Bruton and Eddie Mathews produced another run in the fifth. Milwaukee added its final run in the seventh when Bruton singled, stole second and came home aboard a single by Del Crandall.
Spahn issued his second walk in the fifth when he passed Neeman on a 3-1 pitch with one out. Neeman never advanced as Woods struck out and Amaro flew to right.
While he struck out at least two batters in five different innings, Spahn poured it on in the final innings. He fanned Herrera and Gonzalez in the seventh and pinch-hitters Tony Taylor and Lee Walls after one was out in the eighth.
In the ninth, Spahn got pinch-hitter Bobby Gene Smith to swing and miss a 1-2 pitch. Another pinch-hitter, Bobby Del Greco, fanned on three pitches for Spahn's fourth straight strikeout. Then Malkmus lined Spahn's first offering sharply back to the mound. The ball bounced off the pitcher's glove and skipped toward shortstop where Johnny Logan raced across the grass, swept up the ball and fired to first. The throw was slightly off-target, but an acrobatic split by the 6-foot, 4-inch Adcock nipped the runner by a half step.
Spahn finished his first no-hitter as well as his 20th victory. He would finish the season 21-10. Less than a year later, the newspapers had another no-no to write about:
Warren Spahn 2nd No Hitter (Box Score) | The Daily Republic | April 29, 1961Baseball Almanac Research Library
Warren Spahn | No-Hitter #2 | Box Score: 04-28-1961
Having pitched the first no-hitter of his long and distinguished career just five starts earlier, Warren Spahn became at the time the second oldest pitcher (behind Cy Young) ever to hurl a no-hitter when he blanked the San Francisco Giants on a cold, snowy evening at County Stadium.
The temperature had dipped to seven degrees that morning in Milwaukee. It snowed during the day, and by game time the thermometer had risen only to 38 degrees. It was a night not fit for man nor beast, let alone a 40-year-old pitcher who was nearing the end of what would be a Hall of Fame career.
Just 8,518 showed up for the Friday April 28 game to watch the old master face Sam Jones and the first place Giants with their ball-crushing lineup led by future Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda and Felipe Alou.
After Spahn, making his third start of the season for the first place Braves and carrying a 1-1 record, retired the Giants in order in the top of the first, his teammates got him a lead in the bottom half that would stand up for the rest of the game. With one out, Frank Bolling singled. He went to second on a passed ball by Ed Bailey, and scored on Hank Aaron's sharp liner to right.
Spahn retired the next six Giants before walking Chuck Hiller on four straight pitches leading off the fourth. Harvey Kuenn was the next batter, and he bounced a Spahn screwball back to the mound, which the pitcher converted into a 1-6-3 double play.
The same situation occurred in the fifth inning when Spahn walked leadoff batter McCovey with four straight balls. Cepeda then grounded to Spahn, who again flipped to Roy McMillan who relayed to Joe Adcock for another 1-6-3 twin killing.
Spahn had little trouble the rest of the way. McMillan momentarily fumbled Jose Pagan's grounder while going far to his left in the sixth, and bobbled Kuenn's bouncer in the seventh, but both times he threw the runners out. On the next batter in the seventh, Spahn drew some added lunch when he struck out Mays on a screwball that he got up too high.
Good luck again prevailed in the ninth. On an 0-2 count, Bailey lifted a high pop foul near the Giants' dugout that Braves catcher Charley Lau dropped. Given a reprieve, Bailey fouled off four more pitches before finally striking out.
The next batter, the swift Matty Alou, dropped a textbook drag bunt down the first base line. Spahn, shunning fatigue, raced off the mound, scooped up the ball and made a back-handed throw to first that nipped Alou by one-half a step.
The last batter was pinch-hitter Joey Amalfitano, a pesky hitter who always bothered Spahn. But the lefty was up to the task this time. Amalfitano hit Spahn's first pitch for a two-bouncer to McMillan. The normally slick fielding shortstop juggled the ball briefly, but recovered in time to throw to Adcock for the final out.
Spahn had the second no-hitter of his career. He faced the minimum 27 batters, retiring five on strikeouts and walking two.
In his next outing, the ageless wonder pitched a two-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving up a misjudged fly ball for a hit in the third and a two-out single in the ninth. Spahn finished the season with a 21-13 record, making him a 20-game winner for the 12th season with one more yet to come.
Warren Spahn | National Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque | Class of 1973 (HOF)
Warren Spahn served in the United States Army (from 1943 through 1945) during World War II, participated in the battle for the bridge at Remagen (and many other battles), was awarded a purple heart. The three time ERA Champion, four time Strikeout Champion, fourteen time All-Star was — as if he needed assistance — also immortalized in the Spahn & Sain poem.