Ken Johnson was a key contributor to Cincinnati’s 1961 run to the National League pennant, going 6-2 with a 3.25 earned-run average in 15 games, including 11 starts, in the second half.
The right-hander is better known for a game he lost to the Reds. Pitching for the Houston Colt .45s, now the Astros, on April 23, 1964, the 30-year-old pitched a complete-game no-hitter against Cincinnati and lost, 1-0, at Colt Stadium in Houston.
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Even though Johnson leaned heavily on knuckleballs, wild pitches weren’t involved in the unusual outcome, which left Johnson with the distinction of becoming the first pitcher in major league history to lose a no-hitter.