Don Larsen’s Perfect Game: No Hits, No Walks, No Baserunners

A different result from his previous start

On October 8, 1956, Don Larsen started Game 5 of the World Series for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Three days earlier, Brooklyn had driven him from Game 2 in the second inning. His next appearance became the first perfect game in postseason history.

Perfect is stricter than hitless

A no-hitter prevents hits but can still include runners reaching base through walks or other circumstances. A perfect game permits no opposing baserunners at all. In nine innings, that requires 27 consecutive outs. The distinction explains why Larsen’s achievement involved more than keeping the Dodgers from collecting a hit.

A controlled performance against a strong lineup

Larsen needed 97 pitches and reached a three-ball count against only one batter. His opponents included Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider and Roy Campanella. The challenge was repeated across the entire lineup, with no inning in which a runner could interrupt the sequence.

Two runs were enough

Mickey Mantle hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, and the Yankees added another run in the sixth. Dodgers starter Sal Maglie allowed five hits over eight innings. His effective outing was overshadowed by Larsen’s performance, and New York finished with a 2–0 victory.

The last out and the famous embrace

In the ninth, Carl Furillo flew out and Campanella grounded out. Pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell struck out for the final out. Catcher Yogi Berra then jumped into Larsen’s arms. Their celebration became an enduring image of the game.

The perfect game did not end the series

Larsen’s victory came in Game 5, not the final game of the championship. The Yankees won the World Series in seven games. A recreation should preserve that distinction rather than presenting the embrace as the instant the entire series was won.

How a scoresheet explains the photograph

The Baseball Hall of Fame archives contain a scoresheet identified with the October 8 Dodgers–Yankees game. A photograph preserves the celebration, while a scoresheet records the sequence of play. They answer different questions: what the achievement looked like at its conclusion, and how the result was built inning by inning.

A pitcher’s record depended on the defense

Perfection also required teammates to complete their plays. A fly ball had to be caught, and a ground ball had to become an out without an error allowing a runner. Larsen receives the headline, but the definition of the record makes the defense part of the accomplishment.