LSD & Baseball

June 12th 1970: One of the most important days in sports history, a day perhaps bigger than any Stanley Cup victory, any World Series, or any Superbowl; Dock Ellis pitched the first ever no-hitter whilst high on LSD.  

Ellis, who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was ahead of his time in the wild world of sports, not necessarily for his playing style but for his antics on and off the field. He was a flamboyant loudmouth, a shit-talker, and one of the most competitive players in the game. Ellis was also outspoken about prejudice and racism in the league. He used to show up to pregame workouts with curlers in his hair—that’s how he got his “Superfly” hairstyle. Ellis has stated that the most scared he’s ever been was attempting to pitch a game stone cold sober in 1973.

The story goes that Ellis was in L.A. the day of the game and had no idea he was supposed to play that night until one of his friends showed him a newspaper stating that he was slated to pitch that night.

“Get to the fucking stadium,” he told the cab driver. “I’ve got to play.”

Ellis popped some Dexamyl speed pills and took the field. The rest is history. GOOD NEWS!