Earl Wilson of the Boston Red Sox becomes the first black pitcher in American League history to hurl a no-hitter
On June 26, 1962, Earl Wilson of the Boston Red Sox becomes the first black pitcher in American League history to hurl a no-hitter. Wilson also hits a 400-foot home run off loser Bo Belinsky, who pitched his no-hitter six weeks earlier, in the 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at Boston’s Fenway Park.
From Wilson’s SABR Bio During the contest, Wilson faced 31 Angels hitters. He gave up four base on balls, struck out five, had eight ground-ball outs and 14 fly-ball outs. The Red Sox made several key defensive plays behind Wilson, as happens in most no-hitters. These included a fine catch at the wall by Carl Yastrzemski, a grab of a line drive by shortstop Eddie Bressoud, and a catch of a 400-foot fly ball to center field by Gary Geiger. Following the game, Wilson commented, “Honestly, I didn’t think I had as good as stuff as I had in other games I’ve had this year. I never had any idea anything like this would ever happen to me. The good man was with me tonight.” Owner Yawkey gave Wilson a $1,000 bonus for his achievement, declaring, “I am more excited now than I was during Mel Parnell’s no-hitter as Wilson is just arriving at what could be a brilliant career.”
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Boston Red Sox 2, Los Angeles Angels 0
Game Played: Tuesday, June 26, 1962 at Fenway Park
Time of Game: 2:24
Attendance: 14002
Line Score
LA A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 0 1
BOS A 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 x – 2 5 0
Umpires: HP – Harry Schwarts, 1B – Charlie Berry, 2B – Jim Honochick, 3B – Al Smith
Box Score
Starting Lineups
Angels
1 Albie Pearson CF
2 Billy Moran 2B
3 Leon Wagner RF
4 Lee Thomas 1B
5 Buck Rodgers C
6 Earl Averill LF
7 Eddie Yost 3B
8 Joe Koppe SS
9 Bo Belinsky P
Red Sox
1 Billy Gardner 2B
2 Gary Geiger CF
3 Carl Yastrzemski LF
4 Frank Malzone 3B
5 Pete Runnels 1B
6 Bob Tillman C
7 Carroll Hardy RF
8 Eddie Bressoud SS
9 Earl Wilson P
Play by Play
ANGELS 1ST: 30 minute rain delay before start of game;
Pearson grounded out (first unassisted); Moran flied out to
right; Wagner struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Angels 0, Red
Sox 0.
RED SOX 1ST: Gardner flied out to left; Geiger was called out on
strikes; Yastrzemski struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Angels
0, Red Sox 0.
ANGELS 2ND: L. Thomas walked; Rodgers grounded out (second to
first) [L. Thomas to second]; Averill grounded out (pitcher to
first); Yost grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB. Angels 0, Red Sox 0.
RED SOX 2ND: Malzone walked; Runnels popped to third in foul
territory; Tillman struck out; Hardy struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
1 LOB. Angels 0, Red Sox 0.
ANGELS 3RD: Koppe grounded out (second to first); Belinsky
struck out; Pearson lined to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Angels 0, Red Sox 0.
RED SOX 3RD: Bressoud struck out; Wilson homered; Gardner popped
to first in foul territory; Geiger flied out to center; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Angels 0, Red Sox 1.
ANGELS 4TH: Moran struck out; Wagner flied out to right; L.
Thomas made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Angels
0, Red Sox 1.
RED SOX 4TH: Yastrzemski flied out to center; Malzone reached on
an error by L. Thomas (assist by Yost); Runnels singled to right
[Malzone to third]; Tillman was called out on strikes; Hardy
singled to left [Runnels to second, Malzone scored (unearned)];
Bressoud walked [Runnels to third, Hardy to second]; Wilson
struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB. Angels 0, Red Sox 2.
ANGELS 5TH: Rodgers grounded out (second to first); Averill
walked; Yost walked [Averill to second]; Koppe flied out to
left; Belinsky flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Angels 0, Red Sox 2.
RED SOX 5TH: Gardner grounded out (third to first); Geiger
struck out; Yastrzemski made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB. Angels 0, Red Sox 2.
ANGELS 6TH: Pearson flied out to left; Moran walked; Wagner
flied out to right; L. Thomas grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Angels 0, Red Sox 2.
RED SOX 6TH: Malzone flied out to center; Runnels walked;
Tillman forced Runnels (shortstop to second); Hardy made an out
to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Angels 0, Red Sox 2.
ANGELS 7TH: Rodgers grounded out (second to first); Averill
struck out; Yost struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Angels 0,
Red Sox 2.
RED SOX 7TH: Bressoud made an out to first; Wilson struck out;
Gardner was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Angels
0, Red Sox 2.
ANGELS 8TH: Koppe popped to third in foul territory; BURGESS
BATTED FOR BELINSKY; Burgess flied out to right; Pearson popped
to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Angels 0,
Red Sox 2.
RED SOX 8TH: CHANCE REPLACED BURGESS (PITCHING); Geiger grounded
out (second to first); Yastrzemski grounded out (shortstop to
first); On a bunt Malzone singled to third; Runnels singled to
right [Malzone to third]; Tillman was called out on strikes; 0
R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Angels 0, Red Sox 2.
ANGELS 9TH: Moran made an out to shortstop; Wagner flied out to
left; L. Thomas flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Angels 0, Red Sox 2.