Baseball on July 4th: 5 memorable moments
July 4, 1983 – Dave Righetti Tosses a No-Hitter
There may be not bigger rivalry in all of Major League Baseball than that between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Both with a storied history in baseball, there’s fireworks almost every time these two teams meet, whether it’s July 4th or not!
There was certainly fireworks on Independence Day – July 4, 1983, as the Yankees and Red Sox met, with Dave Righetti on the mound for the Yankees.
It’s not surprising really that the Yankees beat up on the Red Sox that day with a 4-0 victory, but it was a bit surprising that Dave Righetti, a good but not exactly great pitcher, would toss a no-no, and that on America’s most patriotic and celebratory day.
Boxscore, courtesy of Baseball Reference:
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | BF | GSc | IR | IS | WPA | aLI | RE24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave Righetti, W (10-3) | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 3.26 | 29 | 92 | 0.509 | 0.83 | 4.3 | ||
| Team Totals | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | 29 | 92 | 0.509 | 0.83 | 4.3 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/4/2014.
Because of what Righetti did that day, but mostly because he did it on the day he did it on, Yankee fans and baseball fans everywhere remember the name of Dave Righetti, and he certainly holds a special place in the heart of every Yankee fan, and is certainly worth of a spot in our most memorable Independence Day moments.