On August 6 and 7, 1988 a no-hitter was thrown against and for the Nashville Sounds resulting in two victories in Herschel Greer Stadium. The first no-hitter was started by future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson of the Indianapolis Indians (Montreal affiliate) that resulted in a 1-0 loss. Pitching a no-hitter is rare in baseball, but losing a no-hitter is extraordinary.
   The 6-foot-10 Johnson gave up an unearned run in the Sounds half of the first inning. With one out, second baseman Lenny Harris walked, then stole second and third base. He sprinted home on a groundout by Luis Quinones. That would be all the scoring for the game.
   The game was being played without the designated hitter rule and Johnson was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning. Pat Pacillo pitched the final inning of no-hit relief for the Indians. The last time a pitcher lost a nine-inning no-hitter in the American Association was in July 1913.
   Nashville pitcher, Keith Brown's work was somewhat overlooked as he picked up the win going the distance in nine innings, giving up two hits, three walks and six strikeouts. The game was played before 4,643 fans. It was the first time the Sounds were no-hit since August 25, 1983.
   After the game the left-handed Johnson was asked by sports writers if there was anything more frustrating than losing the no-hit bid. Johnson replied, "Yes, having you come in here and ask questions now. I just want to relax."
   Later he was asked what was going through his mind when he was taken out of the game. "Nothing, really," said Johnson. "I was hoping we could get the tying run and go from there." He added that he was not disappointed in having to share the no-hitter. Besides not giving up a hit, Johnson walked two batters and struck out eight Sounds hitters.
   This was Johnson's second appearance after being on the disabled list for six weeks after breaking a bone in his right hand after punching out a bat rack. "Both pitchers pitched outstanding, no question," said Sounds manager Frank Lucchesi. "Harris created something with the second baseman playing back so I told him to go ahead and run on a groundout."
   Johnson was soon called up by Montreal to finish the 1988 season. The "Big Unit" started four games with the big league club recording a 3-0 record and a 2.42 ERA. Johnson played 22 seasons with seven teams. In his career, Johnson was 303-166 with a 3.29 ERA and 4,875 strikeouts. He appeared in 10 All-Star games, was the MVP of the 2001 World Series with three wins, a five-time Cy Young Award winner, a four-time ERA leader, and a nine-time strikeout leader. He pitched a no-hitter for Seattle in 1990 and a perfect game for Arizona in 2004. Johnson was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.
   More American Association history was made at Greer Stadium the next night as Sounds pitcher, Jack Armstrong (1988-89, 1991) hurled a no-hitter before 4,381 fans as Nashville defeated Indianapolis, 4-0. There had never been back-to-back no-hitters previously hurled in the American Association.
   Armstrong was in his first season with the Sounds playing for the Cincinnati Reds' affiliate. Armstrong retired the first 11 batters he faced, striking out five of them. He finished the game with 11 strikeouts and fanned all but one Indians' batter at least once. He only walked one batter. Nashville scored two runs in the their half of the second inning when Van Snider led off with a single and Quinones followed with a single. Eddie Tanner hit a sacrifice to advances the runners and Scottie Earl singled in both runners for a 2-0 lead.
   Snider hit a solo home run deep to right-center field in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend the Sounds lead to 3-0. The Sounds final run came in the last of the seventh frame. Earl led off with a single and stole second base. He scored on a single by Marty Brown to make the score, 4-0.
   Armstrong got help in the fifth inning when Indianapolis batter, Jack Daughtery, hit a hard grounder to the second baseman Harris who ran the ball down and threw off balance to first base for the out. Snider was 3-for-4 and his 21^st home run led the league. Earl was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
   "The fans made it good," said Armstrong. "The fans were aware of it after the sixth inning. When I came from the dugout, they would cheer, and that made me fired up. My fastball was regular, nothing premium or super unleaded." In Double-A, Armstrong came close to a no-hitter when he pitched 8 1/3 innings without giving up a hit.
   Armstrong played seven years in the major leagues with Cincinnati (1988-91, Cleveland (1992), Florida (1993) and Texas (1994). His career record was 40-65 with a 4.58 ERA and 510 strikeouts. The right-hander started the 1990 All-Star game for the National League after winning eight of his first nine starts, but finished that season 12-9.
   Armstrong picked up a victory in Game 2 of the 1990 World Series pitching three scoreless relief innings against Oakland. The Reds won the World Series four games to zero. Armstrong retired from baseball at age 27 due to a torn rotator cuff
   Armstrong's son, Jack, Jr., pitched for Vanderbilt University (2009-11) and was drafted by Houston in the third round of the 2011 amateur draft (99^th overall). Due to a series of arm problems, he never pitched in the minor leagues. He officially retired from baseball in 2014.
Traughber's Tidbit: In a 1979 game between Cincinnati and the host Pirates, Pittsburgh had runners on first and third with two outs in the fourth inning. Reds' pitcher Fred Norman had a 3-2 count on Pirates' batter Omar Moreno. On first base was Lee Lacy who took off for second base when the payoff pitch was being delivered. Catcher Johnny Bench instinctively threw a strike to shortstop Dave Concepcion who tagged the sliding Lacy out. Lacy hopped up and jogged towards first base to retrieve his glove thinking the inning was over.
   Lacy was not aware that the pitch to Moreno was ball four thus giving him second base. Lacy's teammates yelled to him to return to second base that it was ball four. Concepcion was waiting for him at second base with the ball and tagged Lacy out for the second time. Pirates' manager Chuck Tanner argued the call, but without satisfaction. It was stated that Lacy should have known what was going on in the game.
Tidbit Two: An excerpt from the book "Nashville Baseball History: From Sulphur Dell to the Sounds" due the first week in June with 224 pages and 86 illustrations (foreword by Farrell Owens). In 1911, a game was played on a Sunday and arrests were made where this practice was deemed illegal. The Tennessean reported:
   "A game of professional baseball was played in Nashville yesterday [on a Sunday] for the first time in more than 25 years. Twenty-three arrests were made. Those on whom papers were served will appear before Justice J.O. Gaffney at 10 o'clock this morning. W.G. Hirsig, president of the local ball club, and William C. Schwartz, manager, were arrested shortly after the game began by a municipal warrant served by city detectives B.T. Cummins and W.E. Jacobs, and charged with playing a game of ball on Sunday.
   "Between the third and fourth inning eight arrests of the players on bench warrants sworn out by Dr. M.G. Buckner and Dr. J.D. Blanton before A.B. Tavel and Jesse Cage, magistrates, in an automobile just outside the grounds, were made by Sheriff Sam H. Borum and Constable William Cockrell served thirteen bench warrants upon thirteen players.
   "In each instance those named in the warrant appeared before the officer, acknowledged arrest and an appearance bond of $250 was made by President Hirsig before Judge Gaffney who was called to the field each time from the grandstand, with the exception of the municipal arrest of President Hirsig and Manager Schwartz, who were informed by City Detective Jacobs that they might appear immediately after the game at the police station and arrange for bond."
   If you have any comments or suggestions contact Bill Traughber via email WLTraughber@aol.com.