May 5, 2021
On this date in Texas Rangers history, the man who wrote the book, ‘Me and the Spitter’ easily bested the Boston Red Sox and continued to build his Hall of Fame credentials.
On May 5, 1980, Gaylord Perry threw a complete-game eight-hitter in defeating the Red Sox, 11-3. Perry struck out five and walked one. The day was a huge one at the plate for second baseman Bump Wills, who went 4-for-4 for the Rangers, scoring three runs. Third baseman Buddy Bell hit a double, a home run, and drove in three runs.
By this point, Perry was considered one of the game’s best pitchers. He had already become the first to win the Cy Young award in both leagues (with Cleveland in 1972 and with San Diego in 1978). Despite that, he was one of the most oft-traveled 300-game winners in MLB history, as he played for eight different teams in a 22-season career that saw him win 314 games.