List of Chicago White Sox no-hitters


The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Chicago. They play in the American League Central division. Pitchers for the White Sox have thrown eighteen no-hitters in franchise history. A no-hitter is officially recognized by Major League Baseball only "when a pitcher allows no hits during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings. In a no-hit game, a batter may reach base via a walk, an error, a hit by pitch, a passed ball or wild pitch on strike three, or catcher’s interference." No-hitters of less than nine complete innings were previously recognized by the league as official; however, several rule alterations in 1991 changed the rule to its current form. A no-hitter is rare enough that one team in Major League Baseball has never had a pitcher accomplish the feat. Three perfect games, a special subcategory of no-hitter, have been pitched in White Sox history, which equals the New York Yankees for the most perfect games pitched by any MLB franchise. As defined by Major League Baseball, "in a perfect game, no batter reaches any base during the course of the game." These feats were achieved by Charlie Robertson in 1922, which was the first perfect game on the road in MLB history, Mark Buehrle in 2009, and Philip Humber in 2012.
Nixey Callahan threw the first no-hitter in White Sox history on September 20, 1902; the most recent no-hitter was thrown by Philip Humber on April 21, 2012. Only two left-handed pitchers have thrown no-hitters in franchise and three of the four most recent no-hitters: Wilson Álvarez and Buehrle. The other 16 pitchers were right-handed. Two pitchers have thrown more than one no-hitter in a White Sox uniform, including a hall of famer Ed Walsh and Buehrle. Ten no-hitters were thrown at home and eight on the road. They threw four in April, one in May, one in June, two in July, five in August, and five in September. The longest interval between no-hitters was between the games pitched by Bill Dietrich and Bob Keegan, encompassing twenty years, two months, and nineteen days from June 1, 1937 till August 20, 1957. Conversely, the shortest interval between no-hitters was between the games pitched by Vern Kennedy and Dietrich, encompassing merely one year, nine months and one day from August 31, 1935 till June 1, 1937. They no-hit the Detroit Tigers the most, which occurred four times, which were defeated by Callahan in 1902, Smith in 1905, Robertson in 1920, and Joel Horlen in 1967. There have been three no-hitters which the team allowed at least a run, one by Joe Benz, a combined no-hitter by Blue Moon Odom and Francisco Barrios, and most recently by Joe Cowley in 1986. The most baserunners allowed in a White Sox no-hitter was a combined no-hitter by Odom and Barrios, who allowed 12. Of the eighteen no-hitters, four have been won by a score of 6–0, more common than any other results. The largest margin of victory in a White Sox no-hitter was a 15–0 win by Frank Smith in 1905. The smallest margin of victory was a 1–0 win by Smith in 1908 and by Odom and Barrios who combined to throw a no-hitter in a 2–1 victory in 1976.
The umpire is also an integral part of any no-hitter. The task of the umpire in a baseball game is to make any decision "which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out… is final." Part of the duties of the umpire making calls at home plate includes defining the strike zone, which "is defined as that area over homeplate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the kneecap." These calls define every baseball game and are therefore integral to the completion of any no-hitter. Fourteen different umpires, notably Eric Cooper, presided over the White Sox’ eighteen no-hitters. Cooper umpired both Buehrle’s no-hitters.
The manager is another integral part of any no-hitter. The tasks of the manager include determining the starting rotation as well as the batting order and defensive lineup every game. Fourteen different managers, such as Ozzie Guillén, have led the team during the White Sox’ eighteen no-hitters.

No-hitters

#DatePitcherFinal scoreBase-
runners
OpponentCatcherPlate umpireManagerNotesRef
13–03Detroit Tigers
  • First no-hitter in franchise history
  • First no-hitter at home
  • First right-handed pitcher to throw a no-hitter in franchise history
  • First no-hitter in American League history
  • Tied for the latest calendar date of White Sox no-hitter '
2 15–03@ Detroit Tigers
  • First White Sox no-hitter on the road
  • Largest margin of victory in a White Sox no-hitter
  • 3 1–04Philadelphia Athletics
  • Smallest margin of victory in a White Sox no-hitter '
  • Tied for the latest calendar date of White Sox no-hitter '
  • 4*5–02Boston Red Sox
  • First White Sox no-hitter at White Sox Park
  • 56–15Cleveland Naps
  • First White Sox no-hitter while allowing a run
  • 611–06@ St. Louis Browns
  • Earliest calendar date of White Sox no-hitter
  • 72–00@ Detroit Tigers
  • First perfect game in White Sox history and fifth in MLB history
  • See also: Charlie Robertson's perfect game
  • 8*6–02@ Boston Red Sox
    95–04Cleveland Indians
    108–02St. Louis Browns
  • Shortest interval between no-hitters in franchise history
  • 116–02Washington Senators
  • Longest interval between no-hitters in franchise history
  • Second game of a doubleheader
  • 126–02Detroit Tigers
  • First game of a doubleheader
  • Second no-hitter at White Sox Park
  • 13 & Francisco Barrios 2–112@ Oakland Athletics
    • Smallest margin of victory in a White Sox no-hitter '
    • Most baserunners allowed in a White Sox no-hitter
    147–17@ California Angels
  • Last win of his career
  • 157–06@ Baltimore Orioles
  • Second career game; second career start
  • First left-handed pitcher to throw a no-hitter in franchise history
  • 16 6–01Texas Rangers
  • First no-hitter since U.S. Cellular Field was opened in 1991
  • 17 5–00Tampa Bay Rays
  • Second perfect game in White Sox history and eighteenth in MLB history
  • See also: Mark Buehrle's perfect game
  • 184–00@ Seattle Mariners
  • Most recent no-hitter in franchise history
  • Third perfect game in White Sox history and 21st in MLB history
  • See also: Philip Humber's perfect game
  • Footnotes

  • The only team without a no-hitter in franchise history is the San Diego Padres.