David Wells and The Perfect Game: 20 Year Anniversary

On May 17, 1998, David Wells, a pitcher for the Yankees, reached the climax of his 21-year major league career by defeating all 27 Minnesota Twins. The pitch, which led to a Yankees win, became a significant point in baseball history as the 15th perfect game in major league history.

20 years later, on the same day in 2018, Wells and his fellow Yankee teammates reunited at a charity event for Wells’ Perfect 33 foundation. Celebrities, who were also present at the game, gathered at Sony Hall to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the “Perfect Game.” Although the game and the pitch turned iconic and seamlessly entered baseball history, the story behind the pitch is even more fascinating.

In his 2003 autobiography titled, Perfect, I’m Not, Wells revealed to his fans that when he threw his shot, he was “half-drunk, with bloodshot eyes, monster breath, and a raging, skull-rattling hangover.” In addition, according to a recent Seth Meyer interview with Jimmy Fallon, the night before the big game, Wells and Fallon went out to an SNL after-party.  The occasion led to Wells sleeping only for an hour, ending up in bed at 5:30am.

Yet, this did not stop the Yankee pitcher from practicing his throw all morning before and performing his best during the game. “I think I overdid it,” said Wells during the event. “Thank God for coffee and water. You would never think in a million years that you’re going out, hungover and throw a perfect game.” Especially because that day, the Yankee stadium gathered 49,820 spectators, hundreds of whom were children, since the main sponsor of the game was Beanie Baby.

Despite the fact that a monumental day in baseball history started off with a rough night, when asked if he would change anything about that day, Wells responded with a good-humored “nothing.” Instead, he emphasized the importance of doing your own thing, while having his fellow teammates’ support.  

“I beat to my own drum sometimes,” said Wells. “I had my teammates and they had my back at all times. That’s what you have to do. You have to have each other’s backs at all times.”

About Perfect 33

This foundation stems from  David's vision to have an outlet for his friends and family to help his alma mater high school, Point Loma High School in San Diego. The foundation help kids develop as athletes and help military personnel who serve us all. Your donations are tax deductible.