Then and Now

I was too young to know or care about baseball’s first World Series no-hitter, Don Larsen’s perfect game against the Dodgers in 1956. Now, I’m probably too old to care about the second, which happened last night in Philadelphia. The Astros’ Cristian Javier and three relievers shut down the Phillies on no hits and three walks in a 5-0 win. All of Houston’s runs came in the fifth, while I was driving home from a visit with Michele’s mom. We went out to eat, but the restaurant didn’t even bother to put the game on its multiple TVs. I still think Jessica Mendoza would make a good play-by-play announcer. We got home, changed and watched the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions; I didn’t put the game back on until two out in the bottom of the ninth. It was pretty close to 10:30, when people my age are thinking of going to bed. If there were any middle-school baseball fans who watched, I’ll bet they’re dragging today. Don Larsen needed 2:06 to achieve perfection against a lineup that included five future HOFers. Javier et al took 3:25 to complete Fall Classic no-hitter no. 2. I wonder if they faced anyone bound for Cooperstown.