51 years ago, perfection just 1 out away for Pierce

There was an odd twist to where White Sox center fielder Dewayne Wise's perfect-game saving catch for Mark Buehrle occurred Thursday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.

Wise went up and into the fence exactly where the likeness of Billy Pierce is to honor his retired No. 19. Fifty-one years ago, Pierce was one out away from perfection when his bid for immortality was spoiled by the Washington Senators' Ed Fitz Gerald.

The left-handed Pierce was on the verge of history June 27, 1958 before 11,300 at Comiskey Park after he retired Ken Aspromonte on a groundout and struck out Steve Korcheck to start the ninth inning. Fitz Gerald, a catcher who hit .260 in a 12-year big-league career, stepped in to pinch hit for pitcher Russ Kemmerer.

The right-handed Fitz Gerald was a first-ball, fastball hitter but he hit a low and outside curve just inside the right-field line for a double. Pierce struck out Albie Pearson to finish off a 3-0 victory and a near-miss with baseball immortality.

"Fitz Gerald flicked his bat out, and that was that," Pierce said in James Buckley Jr.'s book, "Perfect." "It wasn't hit well, just well enough. I threw the pitch I wanted to, where I wanted to."