2012 was a special year in MLB.
You could say it was a “perfect” year.
Six no-hitters were thrown, but three of them were perfect games.
In fact, no perfect games have been thrown in the league since that year.
The first one of the year belonged to Chicago White Sox right-hander Philip Humber.
It happened on this day, but 11 years ago.
The franchise is, of course, reminiscing the magical moment.
“#OTD in 2012: Philip Humber threw the 21st perfect game in MLB history, third by a White Sox pitcher,” the White Sox tweeted.
#OTD in 2012: Philip Humber threw the 21st perfect game in MLB history, third by a White Sox pitcher.#WhiteSox x @GuaranteedRate pic.twitter.com/dEdiegkZYK
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 21, 2023
Humber was a promising New York Mets prospect in the mid-2000s.
He made his debut in 2006.
However, he was never an above-average pitcher over a full season.
He retired with a rather pedestrian 5.31 ERA and finished at 6.44 in 2012.
But baseball is full of things we can’t quite understand.
A pitcher might be inspired any given night and feel like a world-beater, and that’s what happened with Humber on April 21, 2012.
He was in complete control of the game and dominated the Seattle Mariners to achieve the 21st perfect game in MLB history.
Matt Cain and Felix Hernandez would do it later that year; and the “King” is the last man to throw one in the majors to this day.
It’s an extremely hard thing to do, and Humber did it.
That day, he didn’t let anybody reach first base, his defense helped him, and he aided himself with nine strikeouts.
He might not have elite numbers, but he can tell his grandchildren he was one of 23 men to throw a perfect game in the history of MLB.
NEXT:
Jake Burger Joins An Elite List Of Sluggers In Important Category
