No-hitters are special, but to have two in one season is historic.
During the 1944 season, Boston Braves right hander Jim Tobin became the second pitcher in the modern era to toss a pair of hitless affairs in the same year.
Cincinnati’s Johnny Vander Meer was the first in 1938 with back-to-back performances.
The knuckleballer also has the distinction of being the losing pitcher in another no-hitter that season.
Tobin began the no-hit parade with a 2-0 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers at Braves Field on April 27. He had six strikeouts and put on a show at the plate with a solo homer in the eighth inning.
Just 18 days later in Cincinnati, Tobin and his teammates were on the other end of a no-hitter. Reds lefty Clyde Shoun, who was 13-10 in 1944, allowed just one base runner in the contest as he walked Tobin in the top of third inning. Shoun retired the next 19 batters to close out the 1-0 victory at Crosley Field. Chuck Alono provided the only run for the Reds with a homer in the fifth.
Second No-Hitter
In the second game of a doubleheader in Boston on June 22, Tobin blanked the Philadelphia Phillies for five innings in a 7-0 win as the game was called due to darkness.
Although once considered a no-hitter, a rule change in the early 1990’s made contests that were shorter than nine innings no longer an official no-hitter.
Nine Years in Majors
After four seasons in the minors with the New York Yankees, Tobin began his time in the big leagues in 1937 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His best season in Pittsburgh was 1938 when he was 14-12.
Prior to the 1940 season, he was traded to Boston. He led the National League in losses with a 12-21 record in 1942. In 1944, Tobin had a one-hitter and a pair of three-hitters. An all-star the summer, he finished the year 18-19 with a 3.01 ERA and had five shutouts. He also topped the NL with 28 complete games.
Tobin’s final season was 1945, which he began with Boston. After Tobin posted a 9-14 mark with the Braves, they sold him to Detroit on Aug. 9. He went 4-5 for the Tigers as they claimed the American League pennant.
Tobin finished with a 105-112 lifetime record. He worked the final major league game of his career as he tossed three innings in the opener of the World Series, which the Tigers would go one to win in seven games over the Chicago Cubs.
Power Surge
At the plate, Tobin had some success. In his career, he batted .230 with 17 homers and 102 RBI.
In 1942, Tobin hit six homers with three coming in one game he became to only modern era pitcher to accomplish that feat on May 13. Guy Hecker did it with Louisville in 1886.
On the mound, Tobin gave up five runs on five hits with three walks as the Braves won 6-5 at home over the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs led 2-0 when Ernie Lombardi hit a homer in the bottom of the fourth for the Braves.
Tobin tied the game with a solo shot to lead off the fifth. He gave up two more runs before beginning the seventh with his second homer of the contest. Eddie Miller tied the game at 4-4 with two outs in the seventh.
One inning later, Tobin belted a two-run blast to put the Braves one top 6-4. He surrendered a run in the ninth, but held on for the victory.
Two No-hitters
In addition to Vander Meer, Allie Reynolds (1951) of the New York Yankees, Virgil Trucks (1952) of the Detroit Tigers, Nolan Ryan (1973) of the California Angels, Roy Halladay (2010) of the Philadelphia Phillies and Max Scherzer (2015) of the Washington Nationals each have two no-hitters in the same year.