When Dodgers right-hander Josh Beckett tossed his no-hitter on May 25, 2014, he became the only living soul with an opportunity to achieve what only one other person in history has ever accomplished – throwing two consecutive no-hitters. The only pitcher to have done so was Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer against the Brooklyn Dodgers on June 15th at Ebbets Field. It was the first-ever night game played at Ebbets Field and it occurred only four days after ‘The Dutch Master’ (as Vander Meer was called) had no-hit the Boston Bees (who would later become the Milwaukee and then Atlanta Braves).

Beckett’s shot at immortality ended in the second inning of his next start on May 30, 2014 when Pittsburgh Pirates catcher (and former Dodger) Russell Martin lined a single to centerfield, yet again securing Vander Meer’s incredible record in time.

…for 24 days.

By now the entire baseball world is aware of the near-perfect no-hitter that Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw threw on Wednesday night, June 18, 2014 in front of 46,069 at Dodger Stadium. Within hours of Kershaw’s remarkable game it was being called the greatest no-hitter of all time because Kershaw had struck out 15 Colorado Rockies batters without allowing a walk. Even though Hall of Fame right-hander Nolan Ryan struck out 17 in his 1973 no-hitter and 16 in his 1991 no-hitter, and Hall of Fame left-hander Warren Spawn struck out 15 during his no-hitter in 1960, Kershaw’s no-hitter is ranked above even those brilliant pitching performances.

Dodger Stadium was rockin’ as Clayton Kershaw prepared to make the final pitch of his no-hitter on Wednesday night… and then it got REALLY loud when he did it. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

According to Game Score, a metric created by baseball statistic expert Bill James to rank a pitcher’s effectiveness in a game, Kershaw no-hitter received a ranking of 102 – the best pitching performance ranking ever for a no-hitter and the second-best pitching performance of any kind behind only Kerry Wood’s 1998 20-strikeout/one-hit/no-walk game, which earned a Game Score ranking of 105. The next-best Game Scores for no-hitters were Matt Cain’s perfect game in 2012, Nolan Ryan’s no-hitter in 1991 and Sandy Koufax’s perfect game in 1965 – each with a Game Score of 101. Randy Johnson’s perfect game in 2004, Ryan’s no-hitter 1973 and Spahn’s no-hitter in 1960 each received a Game Score of 100.

Kershaw’s no-hitter was the 12th in Los Angeles Dodgers history and, ironically, the 22nd in franchise history (Kershaw wears uniform number 22) and it now makes him the only human being on the planet with an opportunity to tie Vander Meer’s record.

The odds of Kershaw throwing a second consecutive no-hitter are astronomical, but if anyone can do it, it would be him. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

It goes without saying that The Dutch Master’s record will, in all likelihood, never be broken as it would require it to be tied first which, as noted, has never happened in the 145-year history of the game – not even by Nolan Ryan or Sandy Koufax.

But if there were ever a pitcher with a legitimate chance to tie Vander Meer’s record, Clayton Kershaw is arguably that guy. As so many have said about Kershaw’s no-hitter on Wednesday night, it wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when. It has also been said that Kershaw is the most likely pitcher to throw more than one no-hitter, especially when you consider that he is only 26 years old.

Although us mere mortals hope that Johnny Vander Meer is resting in peace, one has to believe that he will be a little restless on Tuesday, June 24, when Kershaw makes his next start against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.