Pitching Perfection with a Hangover: David Wells's Legendary Game

How Wells Pitched His Way into Baseball Lore

Hope you're all recovering well from the holiday shenanigans. Let's get some inspiration and throw it back to a legendary MLB moment that perfectly captures the "day after" vibe we all feel: David Wells' hungover perfect game.

On May 17, 1998, Beanie Baby Day at Yankee Stadium, David Wells, a hefty lefty with a love for good times, woke up with what can only be described as a monster of a hangover. Imagine this: it's game day at Yankee Stadium, your head's pounding like a drum solo, your eyes are bloodshot, and you can barely stand the smell of your own breath. This was Wells, probably the most hungover dude in New York, and he was slated to pitch against the Minnesota Twins. Talk about a rough start to the day.

Now, Wells wasn't just any pitcher; he was a workhorse with a rubber arm and a knack for showmanship. He had been out until 5 a.m. that morning, got barely an hour of sleep, and still managed to drag himself to the stadium. Despite feeling like he got hit by a freight train, Wells pitched not just a great game but a perfect game. That's 27 batters up, 27 batters down – no hits, no walks, no errors. Pure perfection under the most imperfect conditions.

This performance was more than just a fluke. Wells was in the midst of a killer season. At 35 years young, he went on to end the year with his second All-Star Game appearance and a third-place finish in Cy Young voting. Wells racked up an 18-4 record with a 3.49 ERA and five complete-game shutouts, including this historic game.

So, as we all nurse our New Year's hangovers, let's take a page out of Wells' playbook. Sometimes, you just gotta push through the haze and deliver your best, even when you feel like your head's in a vice. Maybe your "perfect game" moment is just around the corner! Here's to a year of hitting our own home runs, no matter how rough the night (or 3 nights) before was.

Here’s a 3-minute video of David Wells talking to Rich Eisein about the night before that led up to his perfect game.

Happy late Birthday to Fernando Tatis and Fernando Tatis Jr. They were born just a day apart, on January 1 and January 2. Tatis Jr. is one of my favorite players to watch. Fans wish their team had a player like him, with his bat skills, electric baserunning, and platinum glove skills in the field. I know I’d love to see a player on my team steal home while I was at the park.