On October 8th in sports history, one significant event took place in 1956 when New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen threw a perfect game in Game 5 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. This incredible feat remains the only perfect game ever pitched in World Series history.
Larsen, who had a relatively average regular season with an 11-5 record and a 3.26 ERA, took the mound that day at Yankee Stadium in front of a crowd of 64,519 fans. He faced a formidable Dodgers lineup that included legendary players such as Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, and Roy Campanella.
From the very first pitch, Larsen was in complete control. He retired all 27 batters he faced, striking out seven along the way. The Dodgers never came close to getting a hit, with only one ball being hit out of the infield the entire game.
The closest the Dodgers came to reaching base was in the second inning when Jackie Robinson hit a line drive that was caught by Yankees third baseman Andy Carey. In the fifth inning, Dodgers outfielder Sandy Amoros hit a deep fly ball to left field, but it was caught by Enos Slaughter just in front of the wall.
As the game entered the ninth inning, the tension was palpable. Larsen retired Carl Furillo on a fly ball to right field for the first out. He then got Roy Campanella to ground out to second base for the second out. Finally, with the crowd on its feet, Larsen faced pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell. On a 1-2 count, Larsen threw a fastball that Mitchell swung at and missed, completing the perfect game and etching Larsen's name into baseball history.
The Yankees went on to win the game 2-0 and eventually the World Series in seven games. Larsen's perfect game remains one of the greatest pitching performances in baseball history and a shining example of sports excellence on October 8th.
