A 1911 advertisement for Old Underoof Whiskey which appeared in Chicago News papers the day after Edward Augustine “Big Ed” Walsh threw his first nine-inning no-hitter (Walsh gave up no hits in a 5-inning 8 to 1 victory over the New York Highlanders on May 26, 1907). Walsh had also thrown five one-hitters, including one two weeks earlier against the Detroit Tigers.
Old Underoof commemorated that effort as well:
The Chicago Inter Ocean said of the no-hitter:
“Never in His long and brilliant career in the box has Big Ed shone as he did on the hill in yesterday’s game.”
Walsh faced only 27 Boston Red Sox batters, but gave up a fourth inning walk to Clyde Engle. The Inter Ocean said umpire Billy Evans’ call that led to the walk was “questionable.” And that two plays helped preserve the spitballer’s no-hitter:
“(T)here were two times when the monarch of all he expectorated nearly lost his charm. Once the ball was driven out right over the second sack. Lee Tannehill rushed back, scooped it up and threw out the runner easily. Lee must have had a margin of at least three-eighths of an inch in his favor. Another time Ping Bodie saved Ed’s dinner dishes by rushing in with the greatest burst of speed at his command and licking up the ball a little above his ankles.”
The other incident of note in the game took place in the third inning when Tannehill hit a line drive to right center field in the third inning, The Chicago Tribune said Red Sox center fielder Tris Speaker and right fielder Olaf Henriksen came together “in a terrific collision” which knocked both unconscious and out of the game. Henriksen got the worst of it, and was briefly hospitalized with a broken rib and injured ankle. Speaker “was first to recover and emerged from the accident with a severe shaking up and a lame shoulder.”
The box score
Walsh came one batter away from joining Cy Young and Addie Joss as the only two modern era pitchers to that point to throw a perfect game–Joss’ perfect game was against the White Sox in 1908, Walsh was pitching for Chicago and only gave up one hit and struck out 15 in the loss.
Ed Walsh, circa 1904
Walsh was 27-18 with a 2.22 ERA in 1911, leading the league with 255 strikeouts, in a league-leading 368 and two-thirds innings. The Hall of Famer pitched until 1917 compiling a 195-126 record and 1.82 ERA.
He supported making the spitball legal again after the pitch was banned after the 1920 season. The Associated Press quoted him in his 1959 obituary:
“Everything else favors the hitters. Ball Parks are smaller and baseballs are livelier. They’ve practically got the pitchers working in straitjackets. Bah! They still allow the knuckle ball and that is three times as hard to control.”
Baseball History Daily 
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