Is it still a no-no to mention a no-no?
High on the list of baseball’s unwritten rules is to never mention a no-hitter while it’s in progress.
The rule mostly applies to players and coaches, but some announcers also avoid using the actual words “no-hitter” or “perfect game.”
Others, including Chicago Cubs TV play-by-play man Len Kasper, believe it’s their duty to inform fans a no-no is underway.
Kasper did just that during a no-hit bid by Jon Lester on Monday night, telling viewers, “Lester is no-hitting the Cardinals through 6.”
When Jhonny Peralta reached on an infield hit to third baseman Kris Bryant with one out in the seventh to break up the no-hitter, many people accused Kasper of jinxing Lester. But the announcer stood his ground on Twitter, posting, “Send as many tweets as u want ripping me. I don’t EVER want ONE that says “I turned off game cuz I didn’t know!” I HAVE TO TELL THE AUDIENCE.”
Kasper also defended himself in two other tweets, posting, “My bosses should take me to task during no-hitter if I avoid it. We want eyeballs & ears on the game. Not everybody knows. Why we tell them. … Also, I said the same thing during Zambrano’s NO-HITTER.”
KAYLEE CURSE
Kaylee Hartung can relate to Kasper. During the College World Series, the ESPN sideline reporter prefaced an interview with Texas Christian coach Jim Schlossnagle by saying, “Knock on wood for TCU fans, a no-hitter for Alex Young through 6.”
Taken aback a bit, Schlossnagle, the former UNLV coach, replied, “I can’t believe you just said that.”
As if on cue, Young surrendered a solo home run to the first batter he faced in the seventh and the hit turned out to be the difference in Vanderbilt’s 1-0 win.
Though he was surprised by her mention of the no-hitter, Schlossnagle defended Hartung from her many critics on Twitter, posting “@KayleeHartung asking me that question had NOTHING to do with us losing. Valid question at the time. She is outstanding. Treat her kindly.”
Check out the video of the June 16 interview below.
FOLLOW ME TO FREEDOM
Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Charley Steiner sides with Kasper and Hartung.
“There are sheepherders in Botswana aware of no-hitters going on,” Steiner told MLB.com in a 2013 story on the subject. “Because they have an iPhone. If we’re 50 feet from a no-hitter and we don’t mention it, if that’s not the definition of negligence of duty, I don’t know what is.”
But what about superstition or baseball’s unwritten rules?
“Do I not walk across the street because a black cat walked there two weeks ago?” Steiner asked. “No. If any announcer, anywhere on the face of the planet, in the history of the world, if they can affect the outcome of games … well, we’re all grossly underpaid.”
REVERSE JINX
Longtime Texas Rangers’ radio announcer Eric Nadel said “no-hitter” many times during two thrown by Nolan Ryan, and “perfect game” during Kenny Rogers’ successful pursuit of one in 1994. But he decided to change things up during Yu Darvish’s bid for perfection on April 2, 2013.
“I said it every way you can possibly say it without using the word,” Nadel said. “I said ‘Darvish has allowed no hits.’ ‘Darvish has allowed no baserunners.’ ‘It’s been 24 up, 24 down.’ ‘The Astros have not gotten a runner on base.’”
Marwin Gonzalez singled with two outs in the ninth, and that was the end of that.
“I’m going to go right back to saying no-hitter and perfect game,” Nadel said.
