#10: Kevin Millwood’s No Hitter January 10, 2012

via ESPN

Back when the Phillies weren’t very good and I was just getting into the glorious sport of baseball, my dad took me (and usually my little sister) to a lot of Phillies games.  One of those games was April 27, 2003, also known as the day Kevin Millwood pitched the last no hitter in Veterans Stadium.  I don’t remember much of this game, I mostly rely on stories from my dad as well as the internet for resources.  One of those stories my dad has is this one: “Once he struck out Bonds in the 7th inning, it was that moment that I knew he was going to throw a no hitter.”  According to the baseball-reference boxscore linked above, that was the 7th inning, which is right around the same time I remember getting really excited that something good was about to happen.

I remember  the 9th inning.  Millwood had made it to two outs.  The stadium was about to erupt.  Grissom took a pitch, ball one.  Millwood sets up again.  Nails it in there. Grissom swings, makes contact.  Ball’s hit deep. Ledee chases it.  The ball keeps flying.  Ledee runs toward the wall, the ball in his sight.  The crowd is on its feet.  The wind is swirling.  The ball comes down.  Ledee makes a running grab.  He caught it! He caught it! Millwood pitched a no hitter!  Everyone is screaming!

I remember going to school the next day, very excited to tell my classmates about what I had witnessed.  To this day, that game there was one of my favorites.  In fact, all the way up until 2008 to the present, the 2003 Phillies were my favorite team to ever suit up in Philadelphia.  This team and that game will surely be one I tell my future kids about.