Terry Foster: When No-Hitter's In Progress, Do Us All A Favor: Zip It!
Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander tossed his second no-hitter — no thanks to dozens of people who broke a very important unwritten rule.
They talked about the no-hitter before it was complete.
On Sunday, I was in soccer purgatory. My son Brandon's team played in the Novi Jaguars Invitational, and after his games we jetted over to Bloomfield Hills to watch my daughter's Force team play the Livonia Soccer Club. So I had no idea Verlander was pitching a gem until walking past a group of Livonia parents.
"Hey you know about the Verlander perfect game don't you," one parent said.
I was stunned.
"Are you kidding me," I protested. "You are not supposed to tell me that. You just jinxed it."
The men laughed.
"You don't have to worry about jinxing him," one man said. "His stuff is so sick they are not going to get a hit off him."
The parents were correct. Although Verlander walked one batter to miss out on a perfect game, he ended up pitching his second career no-hitter as the Tigers celebrated a 9-0 victory over the Blue Jays.
But this was very risky business. When your hometown pitcher is involved in a no-hitter after the sixth inning, you not only are not supposed to talk about it, but you are not supposed to move. Tigers broadcasters Mario Impemba and Rod Allen refused to talk about the no-hitter during the game.
