5/17/98: David Wells' Perfect Game

[@nysportsfan78]

The 1998 Yankees will ALWAYS be my all-time favorite season!!! Nostalgia strikes again!!!

[@GOPMAN71]

@Lighthouse in the Storm What's not to be sure about? That team was absolutely incredible. 125-50 with a World Series sweep. Greatest single season team ever.

[@KevinMiller-xn5vu]

​@@GOPMAN71The 2001 Mariners had an even better season, going 116-46, but fell to these same Yankees in the ALCS.

[@bballer191]

The coolest part about this Perfect Game was David Wells' admission that he was extremely hungover before the game after a late night of heavy drinking lol. What a boss.

[@Woodsy181]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKWnkKKgfruEoLMm42s Apparently he was out with Jimmy Fallon and some SNL crew the night before till around 5am.

[@hrantesserian6439]

Came here to say just this. All things considered , is this the most impressive performance in baseball history ?!

[@joeinreallife6293]

@@hrantesserian6439 Either this, or Doc Ellis' no-hitter on LSD

[@aaronz9410]

Could truly be it actually helped him... Made himself slow everything down mentally.

[@destructocid]

He actually later admitted that he lied about that.

[@JoshDone]

You are 100% right. How the city of New York didn't landmark the original stadium is beyond me.

[@NothingToPointOut24]

Ahh classic Yankee Stadium..even as a Mets fan this gives me goosebumps. The energy in that place was incredible. If a Yanks pitcher threw a perfect game in today's Yankee Stadium the noise wouldnt reach half of what is was on this day. Shame really.

[@jamilmccoy2994]

They should have never got rid of the old Yankee stadium anyway.... too many memorable moments have happened there.. They could have turned it in to some historical artifact or something....

[@hrantesserian6439]

Even as a Red Sox fan I am forever regretting not going there before they closed it. A Magical place .

[@GOPMAN71]

I agree with the OP. The "new" Yankee Stadium is like a library compared to the old stadium. If the Red Sox are still playing in The Green Latrine after all these years, the Yanks should still be playing in the REAL Yankee Stadium.

[@medguy12]

The truly impressive part is that he did this WITH Chuck Knoblauch on the field!

[@unclejemima2017]

Block head

[@albertamorino6405]

Remember that hit to 2nd in the 8th inning when Chuck was gonna wing it to 1st? He took that extra step & lobbed it. The whole stadium released a big breath at the same time... Great Day.!

[@christendo5733]

This was before Knoblauch got the yips, he got it in 2000.

[@thegame346]

Thank you MLB Classics for making these iconic moments in history available.

[@savary2185]

He had stated after the game that he was nursing a "Skull Rattling" hangover the entire game. Who else could do that other than Wells? Such a full blown bad ass!

[@courtgizzle]

There will never, neeeeeever be another team like the 1998 Yankees. Period

[@TRChamp08]

I agree. 1998 was a special season for the New York Yankees from start to finish!

[@voodoochef100]

The '98 team was a product of a cap-less salary structure, which rendered many teams (like the Twins, Expos, Royals, Pirates, to name a few) to AAA minor league status. Although it was a really good team, I dont put them up as Greatest Team ever. If you recall. The Seattle Mariners won even more regular season games, just 3 years later in 2001. Proving how weak most MLB teams became, soon after '94 strike. It took luxury tax to help somewhat.

[@joesakic91]

voodoochef100 Let me see... 1998 New York Yankees: 125 wins (regular season and postseason combined) - Won a World Championship. 2001 Seattle Mariners: 120 wins (regular season and postseason combined) - Lost in ALCS to the Yankees. 1906 Chicago Cubs: 118 wins (regular season and postseason combined) - Lost in World Series to the Chicago White Sox. Saying the 2001 Seattle Mariners is the greatest team ever despite not winning a World Championship is like saying the 2007 New England Patriots are the greatest team ever.

[@joesakic91]

***** How dominant were the 1998 Yankees? They had to face one quality must-win game all season in that championship run which was Game 4 in the 1998 ALCS vs. the Cleveland Indians and won that game.

[@joesakic91]

voodoochef100 Stop complaining about the salary cap. The Yankees played by the rules just like everyone else. The 1998 team kept their own talent when George M. Steinbrenner put his own money back into their own team instead of their own backpockets like the Twins, Expos, Royals, Pirates and other small-market clubs. Had GMSIII didn't put money back into the team, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera would've played somewhere else for an owner who put their own money back into the team.

[@AmericanMade87]

What gives me goosebumps is that Cone gives him a hug at the end..

[@carlosmedinardz4943]

Why?

[@ynsimha7663]

@@carlosmedinardz4943 Cone would pitch the next perfect game a year later on Yogi Berra day... July 18th, 1999

[@carlosmedinardz4943]

YN Simha I thought they didn’t get along or something like that!!!!

[@prodigalsongod]

@@carlosmedinardz4943their lockers were next to each other. wells said coney told him he wreaked when he came into the locker room that day, and warned him to stay away from torre for fear of being scratched

[@trishden]

My dad was the ultimate Yankee fan, I remember this, my son was only 8 at the time, it was such an exciting season! My son & his grandpa. Grandpa is gone now, and my son is not into the game much anymore. But is was great for nostalgia to watch this. Thanks!

[@wwalter2911]

I went to the next home start for wells, and he took another no no into the 7th or 8th inning. what a year it was. year after, I was supposed to go to Cones Perfecto, but it was rainy out, we thought they would call the game, so we stayed home to watch it... and was soooooo upset we missed history. go yanks! 2014

[@EllaMaFeo]

I went to Wells next game too! It was so cool. I think it only went to the 6th though...

[@joeambrose3260]

Grow up already

[@mastershake8018]

I will never forget this game. I was 10 years old, I was so happy, I cried. Then I learned years later, he was hungover! That makes this, in my opinion, the single greatest achievement in baseball history! I've been hungover more times than I can count, and I can barely take a piss when I'm hungover... but this beast pitches a perfect game!? That is some superhuman shit, man! My dad was drunk during this game, and at that last out, he poured a beer over his head while jumping up and down! He then called his brother, who also poured a beer over his own head! After it was all over, my Dad and I went outside and lit off some fireworks in celebration! A little over a year later... Cone pitches a perfect game and literally, the same exact thing happens!

[@francisalbert1799]

The 1998 Yankees the team of a lifetime.

[@kontube]

I was there! Amazing! So nice to relive this memory :)

[@GOPMAN71]

As a lifetime Yankees fan, the mid to late 90's were an absolutely magical time. So many great players, so much total dominance, especially this 98 team who started 0-3 and finished with a combined record of 125-50. I know most Yankees fans loved Jeter the most but he was never in my top 10 favorite Yankees of those teams. David Wells was my favorite followed by Mariano Rivera, Scott Brosius, Paul O'Neil and Bernie Williams. Those teams really spoiled us Yankee fans. Ever since then, anything less than a World Series Title is unacceptable and one measly title in 20 years is absolutely unacceptable. They've got the horses to do it in 2021 so let's see what happens!

[@brycepunk1]

I love that Wells had a raging hangover for this game and stated he was "half-drunk." I love David Wells.

[@frankiel5127]

I love my team. May 17, 1998...i was 15 years old. I was in attendance. Never experienced anything like this ever before and still til this day. #YankeesForLife

[@MIKIEEYEZ1975]

I’m was the same age then as you are now!! I’m getting old!! lol 😂

[@jamilmccoy2994]

It's amazin that he was able to shut down a hitter like Paul Molitor in this game the way he did . He was a tremendous clutch hitter....

[@blackanesebeats]

Literally the comment I typed out but he was batting as I was doing so… he was only hitting .255 and they were saying it was due to a shoulder injury so I guess it was good timing for Wells lol

[@leafyutube]

Incredible what you can accomplish with potato chips and beer.

[@PandionOsprey]

Don't let anyone tell you it's not the meal of champions!

[@southy98]

He supposedly kept a bottle of Jack in the outfield lockers.

[@donnellevansjr.1423]

Exactly 22 years ago on this date. David Boomer Wells tosses el perfecto against the Minnesota Twins. Big Yankee fan growing up. Dream come true! Very cool!

[@Tom-V]

It's crazy how many athletes and celebrities came out of Gary Indiana. I've been there plenty of times. Rest in peace to that Angels pitcher though.

[@mrodzindabuildin13]

I was at this game and it was amazing! Yankee stadium was rocking after that last out! i missed a foul balll by 4 or 5 seats. Just seeing something this amazing in person is breathtaking! Well Well Wells

[@albertamorino6405]

I took my 10 year old daughter 4 nosebleed seats on Yogi Berra Day. While in line a young couple approached us & asked if we were buying tickets (thought a scam). He said his friends were going to come but game ready to start. They said giving us tickets because they didn't want to sit with roudy drunks. About row 15 behind home dugout (catered). DON LARSON threw 1st pitch to Yogi (last perfect game combo). I will never forget how great it was sharing a rare moment in baseball history. THANK YOU FOR THOSE TICKETS TO THAT COUPLE. If you ever read this both of us are Eternal Grateful to you...

[@Diversityandcompassion]

I'm from Cleveland and HATED this team especially after the ALCS. But NO TEAM WILL EVER be as GOOD as this team!

[@jpta162]

I seriously would too. I'm a Cleveland fan, but I was only a year old at that time.

[@afridgetoofar1818]

The Indians could’ve beat them.

[@Sir_SlapDaBass]

So Jimmy Fallon just told a story on Seth Meyers' show of how David Wells was out parting till 5:30am with Fallon and Seth and Horatio Sanz the night before this perfect game.

[@brucewayne3602]

... cannot stop watching ... more incredible baseball glory ... how deserving he is/was !!! ... book is xcellent too !!!

[@michaeldelzitti895]

When he takes his hat off and pumps his fist as the crowd goes crazy is a feeling that if you could bottle it......u could own the world.

[@herbertstory812]

I can not believe the things I've seen as a Yankees fan 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@Laonda13x]

David wells under rated amazing pitcher. He had a godlike arm . Never any arm injuries. Just his weight and back. Legend says he was still throwing heat at 45 years old. He was hungover and still did it. That pitching crew had rivera , wells , andy pettite david cone and David wells. Plus el duke hernandez damnnnnn dude

[@PimpLenin]

I was at this game. Before the game started, Wells was warming up in the bullpen and I shouted "Hey, Wellsy, you ought to toss a perfect game today!" and he stopped throwing, looked at me with a thoughtful glance, smiled, and said "I think I will." At the seventh inning stretch, Wells found out where I was sitting and he had me sent down to the Yankees dugout. He said "Man, I don't know if I can do it. My arm feels like it is going to fall off." I took his hand, looked into his eyes, and said "David, you CAN do this! Believe in yourself!" Then I poked him in the belly like the Pillsbury Doughboy and he chuckled. After the game, he gave me the baseball from the last out. Then I went out to the parking lot and flew home on my magical dragon named Snuffy. True story.

[@sakser]

lmaooooo

[@TheAssailedTeacher]

This is obviously a lie. There wasn't dragon parking at Yankee Stadium until 2002.

[@gloriaespada8150]

*****

[@stephenm8725]

ayyyyye

[@taddypatty7923]

I live in the same city as him, and I know his favorite restaurant, I'll ask him.

[@firefighteremt66716]

I have an autographed ball from this game which I bought at a goodwill store. “David Wells PG 5-17-98” This is cool to see the game the ball is from.

[@delroyking5115]

Went to this game will never forget

[@JohnKatsanos1992]

Great Moment in Yankee History

[@jeremycastner2721]

was at this game. my first game at yankee stadium. incredible!

[@pjg19751]

1998: Sit down and let him go all the way. 2022: HE'S REACHED HIS PITCH COUNT! TIME TO GO TO THE BULLPEN!

[@RealJeffTidwell]

I can’t believe the people that want robo-umpires. The game is sanitized enough as it is. “Perfection” is a fallacy.

[@bagofgroceries]

It’s just been proven they’ll let him go when they get to this point. But unless it’s a no hitter, or perfecto, no real reason.

[@sanebear68]

It's nice to take a break from the Yankees' 2013 season and come here to relive some of the team's fonder moments...

[@ram3621]

When I see the Twins' lineup, just reiterates how special their Series' teams were. 1987, 1991

[@bretmchale8322]

I am definitely not a fan of the Yankees but this gives me chills.

[@Sixdays_aweek]

That crowd is unbelievable!

[@marc80s]

1:52:38...that is UNHITTABLE. Babe Ruth couldn't hit that.

[@drakejoshsuperfan2024]

2:14:18 - CHILLS

[@matthewstorer8236]

Hungover perfection. A perfect game during a perfect season.

[@Scott1433]

I love the anticipation and electricity from the crowd just before it happens.

[@candrimusic]

I was there! Unreal to witness

[@JBatts41]

This Twins line up is like my men's slo-pitch team

[@jacobrichardson1952]

Twins are soft.

[@RazorJamz]

@@jacobrichardson1952 the Twins are the Yankees' bitch

[@OccasionalNASCARRaces]

"Young LaTroy Hawkins" What

[@oskarschindler68]

This happened on my 30th birthday, what a treat......

[@arturkazaryan4584]

why am i watching it now????

[@rafaelgutierrez612]

Caray cuanto tiempo con razón estoy viejo

[@VMan29397]

2:10:35 wonder how ecstatic billy was after witnessing this game

[@atomicgiraffe250]

START SPREADING THE NEWS........

[@killme1990]

I never noticed the song at the end. Sinatra lives on.

[@bbelem1987]

i wish i could watch this game without knowing the result ... and what a great yankee team btw

[@WhosthatTeamAFC]

I was there!

[@charliestewart5693]

WhosthatTeamAFC Thats sick

[@taddypatty7923]

I live in the same city as him

[@cardmaster365]

What did they give out like souvenir thing that day?

[@joeambrose3260]

Ur brother too

[@southsider3542]

18 years ago today

[@stephenm8725]

How did you like Wells when he was on the White Sox?

[@southsider3542]

Hated him. might've cost us a playoff spot in '01, injured his back in July and even when he was healthy was very ineffective. Never was comfortable here in Chicago, but I do have to thank him for giving up the gopher ball to Tadahito Iguchi in 2005

[@stephenm8725]

southsider 35 yeah i feel ya. didn't last too long in Chicago that's for sure.

[@johnsrous1616]

Boomer just proved how a dominating performance can really galvanize a team.(Not that they need to be galvanized)lol

[@PerforatedPaperboy]

From a rage the night before to the rager of his life

[@jaybradbury597]

Wells is a one of a kind type of guy

[@danielrivera2365]

Interesting that David Wells and David Cone were sitting next to each other in the dugout.

[@1986SSMONTECARLO]

Ahh, I was at this game.....

[@mikawhofan]

Is there ever going to be another team like the 98 Yankees? that team was just magical.

[@TheFallenColumn]

Yeah, they're called the 2001 Seattle Mariners.

[@mikawhofan]

don't count they didn't win the world series. all the wins and no title.

[@TheFallenColumn]

Fair enough, still you have to admit the 2001 M's were one of the greatest teams of all time regardless of a World Series win or not.

[@mikawhofan]

Yes Pinella and the M's were a great team I just wish they had won it all. It would have been nice for KGJ to have a ring.

[@TheFallenColumn]

I know, the man could not have picked a worse time to go to the Reds.

[@SuperTugz]

Wow without commercials a full baseball game can last as little as 2.25 hours.

[@jacobrichardson1952]

People are right the '98 Yankees are a helluva team.

[@stephenm8725]

It was unreal as a Yankees fan to watch that season unfold. That team...you just knew they were going to win as if it was a forgone conclusion.

[@jacobrichardson1952]

Stephen M I’m an old soul die hard Yankees fan for the past 17 years. Been collecting a lot of caps

[@stephenm8725]

@@jacobrichardson1952 cool! How many you got?

[@jacobrichardson1952]

@@stephenm8725 19 hats Update: I got 23 hats

[@jaycee5664]

David Wells....... what a pitcher man....

[@sketchyold]

What a year. 114-48 (125-50 overall) and they gave most of their starters lots of days off for the last 3 weeks of the season. They easily could’ve won 120 in the regular season if they had kept playing all out. That’s how Shane Spencer got so much playing time. I hoped they would, but why risk injury with an almost 30 game lead over Boston?

[@brandon_e23]

Greatest team in baseball history

[@courtgizzle]

Its amazing David Cone pitched a perfect game one year after

[@dimbulb1178]

And was on the opposing team when Mike Mussina came within a strike of pitching one in 2001.

[@markb3572]

2:15:23 Cone hugging Wells. One year later Cone throws a no-no. Yankees!!!

[@mgg8605-]

This is how I remember it. I feel bad for people who heard it on the radio with Sterling. This is the real version.

[@impassable]

That Twins lineup was close to AAA

[@PatClaeysGB]

Correction on the announcer at 2:16:13 the second perfect game in yankee stadium, Don Larson pitched the first and only post season perfect game in yankee stadium back in the 50's to Yogi Berra

[@PtlRG1]

Actually the best was George telling him he was too fat and needed to lose weight the day before. The ultimate F/U boss!

[@VUclear]

Bad no-call on fan interference on Darrell Strawberry's triple. Kelly had a genuine beef.

[@andjunglepunkthirteen760]

Nobody Beats The Wi...Wells.

[@IAmKdizzle]

did i just see Ideki Irabu??

[@stevenkoppell6230]

I was there when I was 8 years old!

[@ak47dragunov]

Singleton sounds exactly the same!

[@joeygonzo]

What's more amazing is , how they were able to lift him on their shoulders. Strawberry must have been really high on coke.

[@waydebaker7743]

Jack Ridge that's great

[@PSPGAMERBASEBBALL]

I Was there magical and it also first

[@joeambrose3260]

Sure u were

[@jbloun911]

Imagine if O'Neil dropped the ball?!?

[@dullsearake]

david wells - greatest blue jay ever. he yelled at cito gaston.

[@Taylorslade123]

1998, what a year for the Yankees.

[@rodzor]

we lost Seinfeld though

[@bballer191]

Taylorslade Truth.

[@bigblue9996]

rodz0r And Frank Sinatra.

[@bballer191]

Gameshowboy 92 Yea, but we gained the Spice Girls!

[@konoq]

i like how torre tries to hide in his jacket at the end.

[@stephenm8725]

wasn't that David Cone?

[@azusasleezstack8924]

Both David Wells and Don Larson graduated from Point Loma High School in San Diego CA. GO YANKEES!

[@everdash]

2:12:11 That was the first perfect game for a Yankee??? In 1998??? Holy shit.

[@sammg2000]

I was at this game! it was beanie baby day and i still have the beanie baby.

[@jasonzee4561]

I sean that game when I live in NY.

[@gakkan21]

Any member are young!

[@rafaelgutierrez612]

Soy yankee fan desde 1957 tengo 72 años

[@stevecelestino7352]

I was there. Still have valentino, the card and the ticket stubs.

[@kramalerav]

Not to by any means take anything away from Wells’ perfecto, but that Twins batting lineup wasn’t exactly murder row.

[@ezequielbriones6943]

This game should be resold with the radio broadcast included

[@jasoncooper3588]

This was real Yankees baseball

[@generatorx]

Ironic that David Cone encourages Wells to go out for an encore, less than a year later Cone himself pitches a perfect game.

[@odalvarado]

When he struck out Molitor in the 7th you knew he had it.

[@nsd1901]

Lol Tim McClelland had a VERY GENEROUS strike zone!

[@christendo5733]

Wells had like 2 or 3 generous strikes, 1 of them canceled out by a foulout. The Twins were also getting a few generous strikes.

[@MIKIEEYEZ1975]

‘98 Yankees might have had more Wins but the ‘99 Yankees were a better team than ‘98!!

[@laudanum669]

I like David Wells he's got that John Daly persona. This was a really bad Twins team, but Wells made them look bush league.

[@TheCatFather45]

I wish the Yanks had a team like this today

[@michaellove9547]

It's been 9 years since I look at that comment you made. 😩 I see you in 5 more years bud. I know how you feel. I don't know if the Yankees will ever have a team like this again. I miss George steinbrener. This was the best ever team in history.

[@justsehlim]

1:02:57 hangover kicking

[@Tafsman]

So which is? Was he drunk or hungover? I always thought he was drunk but now I'm hearing different.

[@TomWatsonB1]

I wasn't there!