 Second Week in May
This signed baseball serves as a lasting reminder of one of the most well-pitched games in Major League history. On May 8, 1968, Oakland's Jim "Catfish" Hunter masterfully pitched a perfect game against the Minnesota Twins. Using his trademark off-speed slider, Hunter struck out 11 in carving a 4-0 gem against the Twins. "Just two words," A's batting coach Joe DiMaggio said after Hunter struck out pinch-hitter Rich Reese on a 3-and-2 count to end the game. "A masterpiece." Hunter also ably supported his own cause at the plate, driving in three of Oakland's runs. In shutting down a Twins offense that featured Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew, Hunter became the first American League pitcher to throw a regular-season perfect game in 46 years. In 1956, Don Larsen of the New York Yankees had hurled a perfect game in the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
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History
