In baseball, a strikeout occurs when a pitcher throws three strikes to a batter during his time at bat….as twenty different pitchers have struck out at least 18 batters in a single nine-inning Major League Baseball (MLB) game as of 2016….with the most recent being Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals on May 11, 2016….as four players have accomplished the feat more than once in their career….with no player having ever struck out more than 20 batters in a nine-inning game.
Charlie Sweeney was the first player to strike out 18 batters in a single game….while doing so for the Providence Grays against the Boston Beaneaters on June 7, 1884. In spite of this, Bob Feller is viewed as the first pitcher to accomplish the feat….since his then-record 18 strikeouts was the first to occur during the 20th century and the live-ball era.
Out of the twenty pitchers who have accomplished the feat….fifteen were right-handed and five pitched left-handed….while five of these players have played for only one major league team….plus Steve Carlton, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver are also members of the 3,000 strikeout club….with Bill Gullickson and Kerry Wood are the only rookies to have achieved the feat….and Tom Seaver concluded his milestone game by striking out the final ten batters he faced….which set a new major league record for most consecutive strikeouts.
There have only been three pitchers in MLB history to strikeout 20 batters in one 9-inning game…..as Boston Red Sox P Roger Clemens was the 1st and 2nd pitcher ever to accomplish this feat on April 29, 1986….as seen in this video herewith…..and again on September 16, 1996 verses the Detroit Tigers…..then Clemens MLB record was tied on May 6, 1998 by Cubs P Kerry Woods against the Houston Astros…..which was once again tied on May 11, 2016 when Washington Nationals P Max Scherzer tied the 20 strikeout record.
This NESN broadcast wrap-up show with Paul Guggenheimer showcases highlights of Boston Red Sox P Roger Clemens 1st 20 strikeout game on April 29, 1986 against the Seattle Mariners…..with a complete rundown of each and every strikeout of the game being highlighted…..and since this video is the postgame coverage of this historic MLB record setting performance…..we at ImaSportsphile are “tickled pink” to have this priceless video clip in our treasure chest of vintage baseball memories.
