On May 13, 1952, at Shaw Stadium in Bristol, Virginia, less than one mile from here, nineteen-year-old Ronald Andrew Necciai, pitching for the Class D Appalachian League Bristol Twins, struck out 27 Welsh Miners in a nine-inning no-hit, no-run performance. In over one million professional baseball games played since organized baseball began in 1869, no one ever has matched "Rocket Ron's" feat that special evening. It remains one of baseball's greatest individual accomplishments.
