Don Larsen Pitches the Only Perfect Game in World Series History

On October 8, 1956, Don Larsen of the New York Yankees achieved something extraordinary on baseball’s biggest stage. Facing the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium, he retired every batter he faced. The Yankees won 2–0, and Larsen secured a unique place in sporting history.

What Makes a Game Perfect?

A perfect game means that no opposing batter reaches base throughout a complete game of at least nine innings. There are no hits, no walks, and no runners reaching through errors or any other means. In a standard nine-inning performance, that requires retiring 27 consecutive batters.

It is an even stricter achievement than a no-hitter, in which batters may still reach base through walks or other routes. Larsen allowed the Dodgers neither a hit nor a single baserunner.

An Unlikely Hero

Just three days earlier, Larsen had struggled against the same opponents. Starting Game 2, he failed to get through the second inning as Brooklyn went on to win 13–8. There was little in that appearance to suggest that his next start would become legendary.

With the series tied at two games apiece, Yankees manager Casey Stengel gave him another opportunity. This time, Larsen needed only 97 pitches to complete all nine innings against a lineup containing some of baseball’s greatest players.

Every Out Mattered

Mickey Mantle’s fourth-inning home run put the Yankees ahead, and they added another run in the sixth. Behind Larsen, the fielders played their part in preserving the perfect game. Pitching precision and dependable defense kept Brooklyn from establishing even the smallest foothold.

In the ninth inning, Larsen retired the first two batters before facing pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell. A called third strike ended the game. Catcher Yogi Berra rushed toward the mound and leaped into Larsen’s arms, creating one of baseball’s most memorable images.

A Lasting Place in Baseball History

The Yankees eventually won the championship in seven games. Yet Larsen’s individual performance became the defining memory of the series.

His achievement remains the only perfect game in World Series history: one afternoon when a pitcher, his catcher, and their teammates allowed the opposition no way onto base.