His time with the Chicago Cubs wasn’t long, but he made a lasting impression on Sept. 2, 1972. With a perfect game on the line against the San Diego Padres and a 3-2 count, pinch-hitter Larry Stahl took a close pitch that umpire Bruce Froemming called a ball–ending the perfect game for Pappas. He retired the next batter to secure the no-hitter, but the call–and the relationship between Froemming and Pappas–has held in Cubs’ fans memory to this day.
The Cubs and Tom Ricketts were saddened to learn of the passing of Pappas, saying “we will always consider him as part of the Chicago Cubs family”.