RetroSimba

Utilizing a wicked curveball that Willie Mays admired but couldn’t hit, Ray Washburn capped a sensational summer of 1968 by pitching the Cardinals’ first no-hitter in 27 years.

The gem was achieved less than 24 hours after the Cardinals had been held hitless by the Giants’ Gaylord Perry.

Perry and Washburn became the first big-league pitchers to toss no-hitters in consecutive games.

Perry walked two and struck out nine, including ex-teammate Orlando Cepeda twice, in outdueling Bob Gibson in the Giants’ 1-0 victory over the Cardinals before 9.546 on Tuesday night, Sept. 17, 1968, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Boxscore

On Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 18, 1968, Washburn walked five and struck out eight, including Mays twice, in the Cardinals’ 2-0 victory before 4,703 at Candlestick. Boxscore

“I never saw a guy throw a curve much better,” Mays said to United Press International. “It floated up there, but you couldn’t hit it.”

Washburn threw 138 pitches: 89 fastballs, 42 curves and seven sliders, The Sporting News reported.

“His curve was the big thing for him,” said Cardinals pitching coach Billy Muffett to the Associated Press. “It kept the hitters off balance.”

Said Cardinals catcher Johnny Edwards: “The curve turned him into a great pitcher. He got away from depending too much on his hard slider.”

Giants grounded

The Associated Press described Washburn’s curve as “deadly” to a lineup of sluggers that included Mays, Willie McCovey, Bobby Bonds and Jim Ray Hart. Washburn was effectively wild with a sinking fastball that set up his curve.

“I had control of my breaking pitches when I was behind the batters,” Washburn said. “My slow curve was working. If you have good motion and can keep it away from the hitters, it’s a very effective pitch.

“The curve helps me keep the batters off stride and has them hitting the ball off the end of the bat and into the ground.”

The Giants hit two balls out of the infield.

The no-hitter was Washburn’s first as a professional. He said he had pitched one in high school. It was the first no-hitter by a Cardinals pitcher since Lon Warneke did it against the Reds in 1941. Boxscore

“I’ve been with the Cards 23 years and never saw a no-hitter before,” said St. Louis manager Red Schoendienst.

Back from the brink

Perry went into the Cardinals’ clubhouse to congratulate Washburn. Until Perry and Washburn, only one no-hitter had been pitched in San Francisco since the Giants moved there from New York after the 1957 season. That was tossed by the Giants’ Juan Marichal against the Colt .45s in 1963. Boxscore

Before his no-hitter, Washburn had lost his previous two starts, including a 5-1 decision versus Perry and the Giants on Sept. 7 at St. Louis. Washburn won seven consecutive decisions from June 16 to July 29.

In 1963, Washburn tore a muscle in his right shoulder. Some thought he never could recover to pitch like he did for St. Louis five years later.

“He was almost finished,” Schoendienst said.

Cardinals trainer Bob Bauman called the injury “one of the worst muscle tears ever. The way it looked, we thought he’d never come around.”

Said Washburn: “They never gave up on me and I never gave up on myself.”

Washburn finished the 1968 season with a 14-8 record and 2.26 ERA.