Zambrano-no

Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano threw a no-hitter last night!
(AP Recap)
(Jeff Passan column on Yahoo! Sports)

It was the first no-hitter thrown by a Cub in 36 years, since Milt Pappas' near perfect game in 1972.

(From wikipedia on the Pappas game: “He retired the first 26 batters and was one strike away from a perfect game with a 2-2 count on pinch-hitter Larry Stahl, but home-plate umpire Bruce Froemming called the next two pitches—both of which were close—balls.”)

In fact it was the first no-hitter of any kind the Cubs have been involved in since 1972. They haven’t been the victim of a no-hitter since Sandy Koufax’s perfect game in 1965.

It was also the first no-hitter ever at a neutral site. The game between the Cubs and the Astros was relocated to Miller Park in Milwaukee because of Hurricane Ike. While technically a home game for Houston (who batted last), most of the 23,000 + fans were Cubs fans. Just a short drive from Chicago, Miller Park has long had the nickname “Wrigley North”.

And finally, it will be an interesting footnote to history that the first no-hitter at Miller Park did not involve the Brewers either on the winning or losing end. They were in Philadelphia dropping two games of a double header to the Phillies.

My sister, who was in Wisconsin this weekend with a friend, almost went to the game, but decided she’d get back home to Iowa too late if she went. She was kicking herself last night for not going.

I saw Bud Smith throw a no-hitter for the Cardinals against the Padres. It was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. The adrenaline rush afterwards was indescribable. In the men’s room after the game, a guy said to me “I’ve been to World Series games before and they were nothing like this. I’m still so excited, I can’t even pee.” And he was a Padres fan.