A special Running with the Racers Podcast on GoRacers.com occurred in 2020 when we had the chance to catch up with former Murray State baseball players Jerry Anderson and George Dugan on the 55th anniversary of their amazing twin no-hitters against Austin Peay on April 20, 1965.
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It was a Tuesday afternoon at quaint and hitter-friendly Johnny Reagan Field, named after the legendary hall of fame coach. The Thoroughbreds were on their way to a 24-6 overall record and winning the Ohio Valley Conference west division championship at 9-1.
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In game one, three-time OVC Pitcher of the Year and future MSU Hall of Famer, lefty George Dugan, set down the first eight hitters he faced and then he walked a batter. In the third, the 'Breds plated the only run of the game on a monster home run by Mike Ward. It was MSU's only hit and only run, but that was enough for Dugan who finished the game only allowing one more base on balls to win 1-0 with the first no-hitter in program history.
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Dugan's no-hitter, the first in Murray State history, only took 90 pitches as he fanned 14 of the 21 outs in the seven-inning game against APSU.
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"Pitchers start off a game with the idea that I'm going to throw a no-hitter and if I can't do that, I'm going to throw a one-hitter and so forth, so that was the mindset," Dugan said from his home in rural Pope County, Illinois. "Honestly, I don't remember certain things that I did, but I am 76 years old and draw a blank sometimes! I do remember I threw my glove in the air and all the hats went into the air and it was a celebration for sure. However, part of these games belong to the infielders and the outfielders, because they are the ones that caught the ball, made the plays. It wasn't until I got older that I realized everything that I had in baseball was because of the players that I played with."
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However, the celebration was short and after a traditional between-game snack of a cola and a cup cake, game two was about to begin. Jerry
George Dugan (left), Coach Johnny Reagan and Jerry Anderson in 2015
Anderson took the hill after a prophetic comment from teammate Butch Wade.
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"He told me the only way I could top Dugan's game, was to go out and throw a perfect game," said Anderson, who lives in Paducah, Kentucky. "Now that went in one ear and out the other, because all I ever tried to do (usually following Dugan in doubleheaders) was to be competitive like him and try to win."
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With a fine defensive unit, Murray State had excellent fielders all over the yard. In the first inning, catcher Dave Darnall, pounced like a big cat on a chopper in front of the plate and nipped the batter with a strong throw to first base. Anderson made it through the first, the second, the third and the fourth inning with a one-two-three result. A murmur started to filter through the ballpark that something special might be happening. In the fifth inning, there was a blooper behind second base that Dave Boyd ran down. Anderson reached the seventh inning and got the Govs one-two-three. Murray State won the game 17-0 for the first perfect game in OVC history. Anderson only needed 74 pitches to mow down APSU, while striking out eight batters.
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"When the game started, I had it in my mind that Austin Peay's batters were going to be chomping at the bit to get going after George's no-hitter," Anderson remembered. "I tried to get ahead in the count and throw a change up just off the plate and I do remember getting several outs off that pitch. I think I only had one count that went to 3-2. We scored 17 runs, so I didn't have to worry about the score."
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In the 14 innings of the sweep, Dugan and Anderson gave up no hits and only two walks while striking out 22.
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Not only are Anderson and Dugan linked for the double no-hitter, they also share a common bond having played for Coach Johnny Reagan.
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"My career happened because I ran into Johnny Reagan," Dugan said of Reagan, who passed away at the age of 92 in February 2018 and coached the MSU Baseball program for 36 seasons from 1958-93. "All of us have tried to emulate him in a lot of ways. He taught us all a lot more than just baseball."
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"He (Coach Reagan) gave us the opportunity to participate at that level, the relationships we had because of it with our teammates and faculty came because of getting to play at Murray State," Said Anderson. "My career was in education (like Dugan) and the people I met at MSU made all the difference."
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Murray State Athletics thanks the Murray Ledger & Times and the Paducah Sun for their accounts of this day in 1965. With the absence of any official scorebook or other records from the games, these two newspapers preserved the details of what happened for us to enjoy the moment 55 years later.
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h former Murray State baseball players Jerry Anderson and George Dugan on the 55th anniversary of their amazing twin no-hitters against Austin Peay on April 20, 1965.
