On April 24, 1917, George Mogridge threw the first no-hitter in New York Yankees history -- a 2-1 victory over the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Only 3,219 fans showed up on a cold spring afternoon to witness it. Mogridge walked three, struck out three, and survived three errors behind him. His manager mentioned the no-hitter to him during the game. The pitcher later said he hadn't fully realized what was happening until Donovan broke the news. For one chilly afternoon in Boston, a relatively obscure left-hander achieved baseball immortality.
The Setting
Fenway Park on April 24, 1917, wasn't a stage designed for history. The crowd of 3,219 reflected both the cold weather and the diminished enthusiasm of a nation preparing for war -- the United States had formally entered World War I just 18 days earlier. The Red Sox, as defending World Series champions, should've drawn bigger numbers. But spring in Boston is cold, and baseball was competing for attention with headlines about troop mobilizations and German submarines.
The Yankees sent Mogridge to the mound against Dutch Leonard, Boston's ace who'd posted an 18-12 record the previous season. It was a mismatch on paper: the defending champions' best arm against a mid-rotation left-hander on a sixth-place club. The game should've been routine. It became extraordinary.
Nine Innings of Drama
The game unfolded with the kind of tension that no-hitters generate even when nobody's watching closely enough to notice. Mogridge retired hitters with a combination of location, off-speed pitches, and ground balls. He wasn't overpowering -- three strikeouts in nine innings isn't a dominant performance by the standards of the pitch. But he didn't need to overpower anyone. He needed to avoid hard contact, and he did.
The game stayed scoreless through five innings, with Leonard matching Mogridge zero for zero. The 1917 Yankees broke through in the sixth when Angel Aragon doubled and scored on Lee Magee's single. Boston tied it 1-1 in the seventh without a hit -- a combination of walks and aggressive baserunning that demonstrated the dead-ball era's ability to manufacture runs without collecting hits.
The ninth inning brought the decisive moment. Roger Peckinpaugh scored on an error to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead. Mogridge needed three outs to finish it. With two outs, an error put Duffy Lewis on base, and Mogridge got Tillie Walker to ground into a force play for the final out. No hits. First no-hitter in franchise history.
The Unwritten Rule
Manager Bill Donovan broke one of baseball's most enduring superstitions by mentioning the no-hitter to Mogridge during the game. The unwritten rule says you never acknowledge a no-hitter in progress -- doing so jinxes it. Donovan either didn't know the rule, didn't care, or figured Mogridge needed to be told what was at stake.
Mogridge's response was revealing. He admitted he hadn't been fully aware of the situation. In an era before scoreboards displayed pitch counts and media replays, it was possible for a pitcher to lose track of the game's broader narrative while focusing on individual at-bats. Donovan's violation of the superstition didn't matter -- Mogridge finished the job anyway, proving that no-hitters are completed by good pitching, not by avoiding conversation.
Part of an Unprecedented Streak
Mogridge's no-hitter was the second of five thrown in the big leagues between April 14 and May 6, 1917 -- a stretch of just over three weeks that produced more no-hitters than most seasons produce in their entirety. Eddie Cicotte of the White Sox had thrown the first on April 14, beating the Browns 11-0 in St. Louis. Mogridge followed on April 24. Fred Toney of the National League's Cincinnati Reds threw a 10-inning no-hitter on May 2, and the Browns' Ernie Koob and Bob Groom completed the streak on back-to-back days, May 5 and 6.
Four of the five came in the American League. The burst reflected the dead-ball era's emphasis on pitching dominance, low-scoring games, and the strategic advantages that skilled pitchers held over lineups built for contact rather than power.
The Pitcher's Legacy
Mogridge wouldn't duplicate his no-hitter in subsequent seasons. He'd go on to compile a respectable 132-133 career record across stints with the Yankees, White Sox, Senators, Browns, and Braves. He was a solid left-hander, not a star, and his career reflected that. But one afternoon at Fenway Park placed him in a category that star status alone can't reach. He threw the first no-hitter in the history of the franchise that would become baseball's most decorated.
| Date | April 24, 1917 |
| Score | Yankees 2, Red Sox 1 |
| Location | Fenway Park, Boston |
| Attendance | 3,219 |
| Walks | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 3 |
| Errors Behind Him | 3 |
| Opposing Pitcher | Dutch Leonard |
Cicotte Throws First No-Hitter
Eddie Cicotte begins the five-no-hitter streak with an 11-0 gem for the White Sox at St. Louis.
Mogridge's No-Hitter
George Mogridge no-hits the defending champion Red Sox 2-1 at Fenway Park, throwing the first no-hitter in Yankees history.
Donovan Breaks the Jinx
Manager Bill Donovan mentions the no-hitter to Mogridge during the game -- a violation of baseball's unwritten rules that doesn't stop the pitcher from completing the feat.
Fifth No-Hitter Completes Streak
Bob Groom throws the fifth big-league no-hitter in just over three weeks -- a day after Browns teammate Ernie Koob threw one of his own.
Mogridge's 132-133 Record
Mogridge compiles a respectable career across five teams but is remembered primarily for one cold afternoon at Fenway Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who threw the first no-hitter in Yankees history?
George Mogridge threw the franchise's first no-hitter on April 24, 1917, beating the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox 2-1 at Fenway Park. He walked three, struck out three, and overcame three errors behind him before a crowd of just 3,219.
Did Mogridge know he was throwing a no-hitter?
Not entirely. Manager Bill Donovan mentioned the no-hitter to Mogridge during the game, breaking baseball's unwritten rule against acknowledging a no-hitter in progress. Mogridge later admitted he hadn't been fully tracking his accomplishment.
How many no-hitters were thrown in the spring of 1917?
Five big-league no-hitters were thrown between April 14 and May 6, 1917 -- four in the American League and one, Fred Toney's, in the National League. Mogridge's was the second, following Eddie Cicotte's and preceding gems by Toney, Ernie Koob, and Bob Groom.