Blog Update

Fullerton Union High School No Hitters Pitchers

By Mahesh Bajagain / 15 August 2023 02:03 PM

Lorenzen(center) celebrating his outstanding record of no hitter in home debut for Phillies on August 9, 2023.
Source : instagram

Fullerton Union High School No Hitters Pitchers are Walter Johnson, Steve Busby, and Mike Warren. Michael Lorenzen also joined the list in 2023.

A no-hitter happens when a pitcher and their team are successful in keeping the other team hitless for the duration of a game. It takes a lot of focus, strategy, and coordination to accomplish this feat in addition to having excellent pitching abilities.

There have only been 322 no-hitters thrown in MLB history since 1876. It is an average of roughly two per year and is taken as a remarkable accomplishment for a pitcher or pitching staff. The 2021 MLB season holds the record for the most no hitter with nine official no hitters thrown.

Nolan Ryan threw seven no-hitters in his 27-year career. It is the record of pitcher with most no hitter in MLB history. Another legendary pitcher with four no-hitters in his career is Koufax. Cy Young, Bob Feller, Larry Corcoran, and Justin Verlander all have three no hitter records in MLB history.

Four former pitchers from the California-based school have thrown no-hitters in Major League Baseball. The recent pitcher to achieve the feat is Lorenzen on Wednesday, August 9. These pitchers had a lasting impression on the local baseball game and carved their names into the school's history.

MLB Pitchers From Fullerton Union High School

MLB pitchers from Fullerton Union High School have four pitchers with a record of pitching a no-hitter. It is claimed that no other high school has this feat.

Fullerton Union High School MLB players included 4 pitchers in MLB history and it is an amazing fact that all four players have pitched a no hitter in their MLB career. 

The record of pitching no hitter from the pitcher of Fullerton Union High School was first put in 1920. The latest one is thrown on August 9, 2023, by another Fullerton pitcher named Michael Lorenzen.

A player from Fullerton High School sprints home to score a run during a contest with Troy High School at Fullerton College home ground.
Source : instagram

4 pitchers from Fullerton High School pitching no hitter are listed below:

  • Walter Johnson July 1, 1920, vs. Boston Red Sox
  • Steve Busby April 27, 1973, vs. Detroit Tigers and June 19, 1974, vs. Milwaukee Brewers
  • Mike Warren Sept. 29, 1983, vs. Chicago White Sox
  • Michael Lorenzen Aug. 9, 2023 vs. Washington Nationals

However, among the 9 players, 5 are MLB pitchers from Fullerton union high school. Bob Ross is the only pitcher from High School who has not thrown a no-hitter in Major League Baseball. Catcher Del Crandall, who caught three no-hitters, was another product of the same institution.

Walter Johnson

Hall of Famer Johnson threw his career only hitter on July 1, 1920 against Red Sox.
Source : facebook

Walter Johnson is an American baseball player also known by the nicknames Barney and The Big Train. He is a right-handed pitcher for the Washington Senators.

Walter played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career for the Senators from 1907 to 1927. At the age of 19, he joined the Washington Senators on August 2, 1907, following his graduation from Fullerton Union High School.

Walter Johnson no hitter came against the Boston Red Sox on July 1, 1920. It was his career only no hitter. Johnson had strike out 10 batters in the contest against the Boston Red Sox, which the Senators won 1-0.

Johnson was selected as one of the "first five" initial members of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Steve Busby

Busby is the only Fullerton Union High School graduate to threw no hitter twice. He achieve this record in successive years of 1973 and 1974.
Source : twitter

Steve Busby no hitters came twice for Kansas City Royals. It took him just 14 months to fire his second no hitter on June 19,1974.

After nearly 53 years of no hitter by Johnson, another fullerton union high school pitcher Steve Busby pitched no hitter on April 27, 1973. His first career no hitter came against Detroit Tigers. Busby's career peaked between 1973 and 1975 when he averaged nearly 19 victories, 263.2 innings, and 177 strikeouts each year.

Busby had his best season in 1974, winning 22 games and being selected to the American League All-Star team. On June 19, he also threw a second no-hitter at County Stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers. Busby's no-hitter made him the only pitcher to ever pitch a no-hitter in each of his first two full seasons in Major League Baseball history.

Mike Warren 

Mike Warren no hitter was against Chicago White Sox on Sept. 29, 1983. He was pitching for Oakland Athletics on that magical night.

Warren left Fullerton Union High School in California in the twelfth round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft. He was selected by the Detroit Tigers. But, he never got a chance to throw above A-ball and later, he was released by Tigers after two seasons.

However, he create the record of no hitter in his debut season in 1983 for the Athletics. He became the third Fullerton graduate to achieve this landmark.

Mike Warren experienced control problems and injuries, which caused him to retire early. His Last MLB game was for the Oakland Athletics on July 2, 1985, after playing for just 2 years for them.

Michael Lorenzen

Michael Lorenzen no hitter is the fourth and most recent from Fullerton Union High School pitcher. He achieves this record in his home debut match for Phillies.

On August 1, 2023, Lorenzen was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He got his first debut match on 9 August against Washington Nationals where he threw 14th no-hitter for Phillies. While it was the first no-hitter in his career and it came in his home debut match that he will never forget.

The outstanding performance of Lorenzen leads the Phillies to a comprehensive win against the Nationals by 7-0. The 31-year-old Lorenzen (7-7) struck out five batters, walked four, and increased his record to 2-0 in his 9.0 innings pitched.

Caabaseball congratulating Lorenzen for winning National League Player of the week. On August 9, Lorenzen threw his career first no hitter and 14th no hitter in Phillies history.
Source : instagram

Michael Lorenzen high school was Fullerton Union High School where he started to pitch the ball. From Fullerton Union High School, Lorenzen is the fifth pitcher and ninth player to enter the MLB.

Later he played for the clubs like Cincinnati Reds (2015–2021), Los Angeles Angels (2022), and Detroit Tigers (2023). He is now a member of the Philadelphia Phillies from August 2023.

Only five MLB players have ever thrown a no-hitter in their home debut, and he is the second since 1900. This historical achievement came when his career was in doubt with injuries. He started this season as an injured member of the Detroit Tigers. However, he had no idea he would be sold to the Phillies and achieve this exclusive record.

List of No Hitters this season

Lorenzen's no hitter was the fourth in the major league this year. Here is the list of no hitters this season:

  • Framber Valdez of Houston against Cleveland on August 1. 
  • Domingo Germán of the New York Yankees pitched a perfect game against Oakland on June 28.
  • Matt Manning, Alex Lange, and Jason Foley of the Detroit Tigers combined to throw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays, on July 8.
  • Michael Lorenzen of Philadelphia Phillies against Washington Nationals on August 9.

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