Harvey Haddix, a baseball great known for his pitching, was born on September 18th, 1925, and grew up on a farm just south of Westville, Ohio. He played his first organized baseball game while attending Westville School, and his talent led to him entering the major leagues in 1952.

Harvey played for a handful of teams throughout his 13 year career, including the Saint Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds. But it was while with the Pittsburgh Pirates that he threw what some still consider the greatest baseball game ever pitched. On May 26th, 1959, Harvey Haddix threw 12 perfect innings, not allowing a single runner on base or giving up one hit against the defending National League champion, the Milwaukee Braves.

This feat had never been accomplished before or since. In the history of Major League Baseball, no pitcher has thrown more than nine perfect innings consecutively, except for one.

However, the Pittsburgh Pirates ultimately lost the game after giving up a hit and a run in the 13th inning while Harvey was still pitching. Earning him the nickname Hard Luck Harvey. But Harvey's hard luck wouldn't last long. Just a year later, he would pitch two games in the 1960 World Series, including the decisive game seven versus the New York Yankees, and the Pirates won both securing their third World Series title.

Harvey Haddix retired in 1965 as a three time All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner, with a World Series title under his belt. He remained in the major leagues as a pitching coach for another 14 years. In 1979, Haddix returned to the Pittsburgh Pirates and helped guide them to another World Series championship.

Harvey Haddix passed away on January 8th, 1994, and is buried in Catawba, Ohio. His baseball legacy lives on through the memory of his legendary performance in 1959, dubbed the Greatest Game Ever Pitched.