The Browns' Bobo Holloman and the most improbable no-hitters in baseball history

The no-hitter membership includes some of the most explosive arms in baseball history, pitchers who demonstrated zero tolerance on a regular basis. Nolan Ryan had seven no-hitters. Sandy Koufax tossed four. Bob Feller had three. At the same time, a no-hitter is hardly an indicator of a stellar career. There have been countless cases of one-hit, no-hit wonders. See Cardinals lefthander Bud Smith (2001) for reference.

Jim Bunning, a Hall of Fame pitcher who had two no-hitters, told Baseball Digest: "A no-hitter is a freaky thing. You can't plan it. It's not something you can try to do. It just happens. Everything has to come together all on the same day."

Boston lefthander Babe Ruth (24-13 that season) was facing the Senators when he walked leadoff man Ray Morgan. The bombastic Ruth immediately got into a shouting match with plate umpire Brick Owens, which digressed into Ruth throwing punches and getting ejected.

Enter Shore, who got only eight warm-up pitches before assuming the game. Moments later, Morgan was thrown out attempting to steal. Shore then retired the next 26 Senators in order and the Red Sox won 4-0.

Vander Meer might be the exception to Bunning's interpretation. On June 11, 1938, the hard-throwing Cincinnati lefthander no-hit the Boston Bees in a 3-0 shutout at Crosley Field. Four days later, he proved it was no "freaky thing." With 40,000 on hand for the first night game in Brooklyn, Vander Meer did it again, tossing a 6-0 no-hitter at the Dodgers. The two no-hitters in succession have never been equaled.

Alva Lee "Bobo" Holloman was a rookie reliever with the St. Louis Browns in 1953, pestering manager Marty Marion for a chance to start. The skipper relented, sending Holloman out to face the Athletics on a rainy night that was so nasty, Browns owner Bill Veeck gave the 2,473 in attendance rain checks for a future game.

The tiny gathering got another treat when Holloman went two for three, drove in three runs and set a modern record with a no-hitter in his first major league start. By season's end, he was back in the minors, never to stride a major league mound again.

Known as the "Kitten" during four outstanding seasons with the Cardinals, Haddix gave the Pirates what might be the best performance in MLB history.

The little lefthander retired the first 36 batters in order, hurling 12 flawless innings in a scoreless duel with Milwaukee's Lew Burdette. In the 13th, Felix Milan reached on a Pittsburgh error and was sacrificed to second. Haddix intentionally walked Henry Aaron before Joe Adcock hit a pitch over the wall for an apparent home run.

Washburn's accomplishment for the Cardinals is often overlooked. What made the masterpiece at Candlestick Park so unique was what happened the night before.

On a Tuesday evening, Giants starter Gaylord Perry made Ron Hunt's first-inning homer stand up with a no-hit 1-0 victory over Bob Gibson. On Wednesday afternoon, less than 24 hours later, Washburn stole Perry's thunder, allowing just two balls to leave the infield in a no-hit 2-0 victory.