RetroSimba

Harry Brecheen came close to being perfect for the Cardinals.

Brecheen began the 1948 season with three consecutive shutouts, including a one-hitter.

A left-hander, Brecheen followed consecutive shutouts versus the Cubs with a nearly perfect game against the Phillies. His scoreless streak reached 32 innings before the Pirates broke through with a run in the sixth inning of Brecheen’s fourth start of the season.

Hot start

Brecheen, 33, made his first start of 1948 on April 23 against the Cubs at Chicago. He yielded nine hits and a walk, but the Cubs stranded nine and the Cardinals won, 1-0. Boxscore

A week later, on May 1, Breechen got his second start, against the Cubs at St. Louis, and again held them scoreless. The Cubs got six hits and a walk, stranded seven and the Cardinals won, 4-0. Boxscore

Facing the Phillies in his third start on May 8 at St. Louis, Brecheen was extra sharp. Using a mix of screwballs, curves and fastballs, he retired the first 20 batters in a row.

With two outs in the seventh, rookie Johnny Blatnik, starting in place of slumping left fielder Harry Walker, was the batter. Brecheen got ahead on the count, 0-and-2, and decided to waste a pitch.

“I threw one in there high, above his head,” Breechen told The Sporting News.

Decisive call

Blatnik, a right-handed batter, swung at the ball and hit “a high, slow bouncer” along the third-base line, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Third baseman Whitey Kurowski fielded the ball on the foul line and fired across the diamond to first baseman Nippy Jones. “I thought I made a good throw,” Kurowski said.

First-base umpire Babe Pinelli called Blatnik safe, an infield single that ended Brecheen’s bid to pitch the first perfect game in the big leagues since Charlie Robertson of the White Sox did it against the Tigers in 1922.

“I was aware Brecheen was pitching a perfect, no-hit game when that play came up, but if I had to call it again, it would be the same,” said Pinelli. “Blatnik was safe at first. There was no doubt about that in my mind when I called the play.”

Difference of opinions

Though the Cardinals didn’t challenge the call on the field, they were united in their belief Blatnik was out.

_ Harry Breechen: “I thought Blatnik was out at first, but, of course, I’m prejudiced.”

_ Whitey Kurowski: “From where I was standing, my throw appeared to have beaten Blatnik by a good margin.”

_ Nippy Jones: “I felt the ball hit my mitt while the base runner was still in the air. I was surprised when the umpire called him safe. In fact, I didn’t think the play was even close.”

_ Eddie Dyer, Cardinals manager: Jones “was positive in his statement when he told me Kurowski’s throw had the runner by a good half-step.”

_ Red Schoendienst, Cardinals second baseman: “I was satisfied the base runner was out.”

Throwing strikes

Blatnik was the only Phillies batter to reach base. Breechen retired the last seven in a row and the Cardinals won, 5-0. Boxscore

Brecheen exhibited pinpoint control. Richie Ashburn was the only Phillies batter who worked a count to 3-and-2, and he struck out.

After the game, Pinelli met Brecheen in a runway leading from the Cardinals’ dugout to the locker room and consoled the pitcher on missing out on a perfect performance, according to The Sporting News.

A week later, on May 15 at St. Louis, Brecheen made his fourth start, against the Pirates, and held them scoreless until, with two outs in the sixth, Frankie Gustine singled and scored on Johnny Hopp’s triple. Brecheen pitched a complete game and got the win in an 8-3 Cardinals victory.

Brecheen finished the 1948 season with a 20-7 record and led the National League in ERA (2.24), shutouts (seven) and strikeouts (149).