Perfection As Different As Can Be

The last time two perfect games were thrown in Major League Baseball before the flip of a calendar page, Rutherford B. Hayes was President of the United States of America.

The Civil War wasn't a topic taught in History Class, it was a conflict most folks had lived through.

On Saturday, June 12, 1880, Lee Richmond of the Worcester Ruby Legs stifled the Cleveland Blues pitching the first perfect game in MLB history.

By Thursday of the following week, June 17, 1880, Richmond had company. Providence Grays' hurler Monte Ward shut down the Buffalo Bisons for the second perfecto in the Majors.

Sixteen other gems would be tossed before Dallas Braden would set down all 27 Rays batters he faced on Mother's Day, May 9 of this year.

On Saturday, less than three weeks hence Braden's masterpiece, Roy Halladay became the 20th member of the Perfect Game Club by disposing of every Marlins hitter he faced -- 27 up, 27 down.

Adding in Mark Buehrle's perfect performance on July 23 of last year, there have been three no-base-runner exhibitions in fewer than 12 months.

Excluding the first two perfect games, which took place prior to what most historians consider the modern era of baseball, there has never been perfection tossed twice in a dozen months prior to Braden's performance.

Tom Singer of MLB.com puts it this way: "What had been a once-in-a-generation phenomenon has turned into twice-in-a-month lightning."

Braden and Halladay are about as similar as Beethoven and Elvis.

The left-handed Braden first appeared on most baseball fans' radar when he scolded Alex Rodriguez for crossing "my mound" back in April.

Braden's career numbers are less than stellar, 18-25 with 4.47 ERA over four seasons. A-Rod referred to Dallas as "a guy with a handful of wins in his career."

A fringe major leaguer at the moment, Braden's career is in it's infancy. The 26-year-old's career high in starts, 22, and innings pitched, 136.2, both came last season.

The Stockton, California-raised Braden may wind up with a decent career, but can just as easily fall off the major league map and live on simply as the answer to the trivia question regarding the pitcher with the least wins to throw a perfect game.

Halladay, meanwhile, is Cooperstown bound and the premier pitcher of his era.

With a 155-79 record to go with a 3.37 career ERA, Docs perfect game merely solidifies his standing as one of the best pitchers of all-time.

The right-hander's hardware includes: The 2003 AL Cy Young Award and six All-Star selections.

Yet, somehow, these two disparate men made history together a mere 20 days apart. Somehow two perfect games were thrown -- not only in the same season but -- in the same month.

For some reason perfection isn't quite as rare as it once was.