Ron Necciai at 93

Happy 93rd birthday today to Ron Necciai, the pride of Monongahela High School in Western Pa. who on May 13, 1952 has arguably the greatest pitching performance in history as the right-hander strikes out a record 27 batters while pitching a no-hitter for Bristol, the Pittsburgh Pirates' affiliate in the Class D Appalachian League.

While beating the Welsh Miners 7-0 before a Tuesday night crowd of 1,183 in Bristol’s Shaw Stadium, Necciai allows four runners to reach base with a walk, hit by pitch, error and wild pitch on a third strike.

The wild pitch eluding catcher Harry Dunlop occurs on a third strike in the ninth, allowing Necciai the opportunity to record four strikeouts in the last inning.

Necciai is promoted to the major leagues for the final weeks of the 1952 season and posts a 1-6 record for Pittsburgh with a 7.08 ERA before being drafted into the military.

Alas, he never again pitches in the majors, retiring in 1955 after a handful of appearances in the minors. He is only 23 years old at the time.