This was the second game of a three game series involving the Grays and the Bisons.
Providence, defending National League pennant champions, was 13–11 (with two ties) prior to the game, which was good for 4th place in the league, 8.5 games back of the Chicago White Stockings. Ward pitched a majority of the games for the season, appearing in 70 total games for the season. They were winners of four straight games coming into this game. [2] As for Buffalo, they were 8–17 and 7th in the league, 14 games behind Chicago, with only the Cincinnati Reds having a worse record. They had lost two straight games going into this match-up. [3] The home team was determined by a coinflip, which Buffalo won. [4]
The game[]
The Bisons committed seven errors, with the most being two from right fielder (and later catcher) Bill Crowley and pitcher Pud Galvin, with Crowley having a passed ball and Galvin throwing a wild pitch. This is one of six perfect games in which both pitchers pitched the full nine innings. This was the second perfect game in history. This was the last perfect game in the National League until Jim Bunning threw one in 1964, which was the same year that Ward was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum by the Veterans Committee. [5]
Game statistics[]
June 17, Messer Street Grounds, Providence, Rhode Island