Warren Spahn

Exactly 50 years ago today a very special baseball game was played in County Stadium in Milwaukee. 40 year old lefty Warren Spahn was on the mound for the Milwaukee Braves, and Sam "Toothpick" Jones (the first African-American pitcher in Cubs history) was on the mound for the San Francisco Giants. Less than 9000 fans were on hand to witness it.

The Giants had one of the most powerful lineups in history. Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Orlando Cepeda (all in their prime) batted 3rd, 4th and 5th.

Sam Jones was masterful that day. Hank Aaron knocked in an unearned run in the first inning with a single, but Jones allowed only 3 more hits the rest of the game, while striking out 10.

But Warren Spahn, the crafty 40-year-old, no-hit that feared Giants lineup, facing the minimum 27 batters. He walked two men, and both of them were wiped out by double plays. The Braves won the game 1-0.

Spahn went on to 21 games that season at the age of 40, and won 23 more two seasons later at 42. He pitched in the big leagues until 1965, when he finally hung up his spikes at the age of 44.

The last team he pitched for? The San Francisco Giants.