This Week In Baseball History

It takes a career to make it into the Hall of Fame. But sometimes it just takes one swing or one pitch or one game to become a legend. That happened to the otherwise unremarkable Don Larsen 70 years ago this week, when Don pitched a perfect game against the Dodgers in the World Series. Mike and Bill look back at one of the more imperfect men to achieve baseball perfection, and the self-imposed struggles that may have prevented him from becoming something more. Plus, happy birthday to Sam West and Charlie Liebrandt! And farewell to Rich Rowland and Jim Rittwage.

If you think it's tough spending the Holidays with your siblings, you should try being in the same lineup. That's what happened 28 years ago this week to two sets of brothers: David and Aaron Boone, and Barry and Stephen Larkin. They were all in the same lineup. In the same infield, in fact. It was the kind of forced family therapy that only the Cincinnati Reds could pull together. It's also a great excuse for Mike and Bill to roll out their latest installment in their big league brothers series. So strap in, and let's learn about the Larkins, Glavines, Manushes, Pikes, O'Rourkes, and Gwynns! Plus, happy birthday to Jack Fournier and Todd Worrell! And farewell to Butch Huskey, Tommy John, and Pat Putnam. Logo by Casey Barker

At times, it seemed like Cy Young might just pitch forever. But everything, eventually, meets its end. And Cy won his last big league game 115 years ago this week. In honor of one of the game's true giants, Mike and Bill look back at his long and incredible career that spanned MLB's early and modern history, to discover a pretty decent man who happened to be an amazing hurler, and also that that final win may not have actually been his 511th. Plus, happy birthday to Zeke Bonura and Jeff Cirillo! And farewell to Ossie Blanco and Scott Brown Logo by Casey Barker

They don't really make players like George Sisler these days. A slick fielding, average dependent first baseman who demonstrated incredible bat control but almost no power, leading to two .400 seasons. But, before that, the St. Louis Browns tried to use him as a pitcher as well, culminating in a fantastic performance 110 years ago this week, when he beat Walter Johnson, 1-0. Mike and Bill look back at Sisler's bifurcated career and the random illness that radically altered it. Plus, happy birthday to Eddie Rommel and Thornton Lee! And farewell to Héctor Valle and Duane Ward.

Like the rest of the United States, the baseball world stopped 25 years ago this week when the country suffered the most devastating terrorist attack in its history. There aren't words to adequately describe the sum of the national trauma that still resonates today, but maybe there are words to describe baseball's response. Mike and Bill look back on the 2001 season as a whole, and the first World Series to bleed into November that followed as the sport and its players struggled to adapt to the new reality and traditional villains were embraced by (most) of the nation as heroes. Plus, happy birthday to Willie Crawford and Dave Foutz!