On July 14 in sports: Ramon Martinez throws no-hitter for Dodgers in 1995
Ramon Martinez loses a perfect game with four outs to go but still pitches a no-hitter on this date in 1995 that gives the Dodgers a 7-0 victory over the Florida Marlins.
Martinez, who throws nothing but a variety of fastballs after the third inning, retires 22 straight batters before he walks Tommy Gregg with two out in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium. It is the ninth no-hitter for a Dodger pitcher in Los Angeles.
Martinez, who was booed in his previous start, pumps his fist in the air to signal the crowd that all is forgiven.
“I wanted to let people know that I can still pitch,” said Martinez (9-6). “You know something, I think people had forgotten about me.”
Other memorable games and outstanding sports performances on this date:
1951 — Triple Crown champion Citation, with jockey Steve Brooks in the saddle, is the first horse to win $1 million in a career when he takes the Hollywood Gold Cup by four lengths over Bewitch at Hollywood Park. After he runs the 1 ¼-mile in 2:01.0, Citation retires with total earnings of $1,085,760. In 45 starts, he ran out of the money only once.
1964 — Jacques Anquetil wins his fifth Tour de France and his fourth straight when he outsprints Raymond Poulidor in the final stage in the 2,719-mile race from Versailles to Paris. Anquetil’s lead over Poulidor narrows to just 14 seconds in the 20th stage and he wins by 55 seconds overall.
1967 — Eddie Mathews of the Astros hits his 500th career home run when he connects off San Francisco's Juan Marichal at Candlestick Park in San Francisco to lead Houston to an 8-6 win over the Giants.
1968 — One year later, Henry Aaron hits his 500th home run off San Francisco’s Mike McCormick as the Braves beat the Giants 4-2 at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.
1985 — In a pelting rain storm, the Baltimore Stars defeat the Oakland Invaders 28-24 to win the United States Football League championship at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. It is the third and final season for the USFL. The Invaders, led by quarterback Bobby Hebert, launch a potential game-winning drive that is derailed by a personal foul penalty.
1986 — Jane Geddes beats Sally Little in an 18-hole playoff to take the U.S. Women's Open championship on the South Course at NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio. Geddes comes from three shots down after seven holes to win by two strokes when she fires a 71. Both Geddes and Little are tied after 72 holes of regulation at 287. It is the first of Geddes’ two major championships.
2005 — At Oklahoma City, the United States is beaten in an international softball game for the first time since 2002, losing to Canada 2-1 in the inaugural World Cup of Softball. The U.S., which has won the gold medal in three straight Olympics Games, last lost an international contest on July 4, 2002 — 6-1 to Japan at the U.S. Cup. Japan beats Team USA in the World Cup championship game 3-1.
2009 — The American League continues its dominance over the National League with a 4-3 win in the All-Star game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The AL is 12-0-1 since its 1996 defeat at Philadelphia — the longest unbeaten streak in All-Star history. Tampa Bay outfielder Carl Crawford robs Colorado slugger Brad Hawpe of a home run in the seventh inning to preserve a 3-3 tie.
2011 — Amateur Tom Lewis shoots a record five-under par 65 in the opening round of the British Open at Royal St. George’s at Sandwich, England. Lewis’ round is the lowest by an amateur in golf's oldest major and puts him in a tie with Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn. The young Englishman breaks the Open scoring record for an amateur of 66 posted by Frank Stranahan in 1950, and matched by Tiger Woods in 1996 and Justin Rose in 1998.
2013 — Jordan Spieth becomes the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in 82 years as the 19-year-old from Texas outlasts David Hearn and Zach Johnson on the fifth hole of a playoff to win the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. He is the first teenager to win since Ralph Guldahl took the Santa Monica Open in 1931. Spieth holes a bunker shot on the 72nd hole of regulation that puts him in the playoff.
Sources: The Times, Associated Press
