I have been pretty captivated by Don Larsen’s perfect game over my life…

Fine pitcher there, Don Larsen. Career of distinguishment there.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/01/obituaries/don-larsen-dead.html

I tell ya though, Don Larsen’s story has developed its own stylebook treatment over the years. That treatment is a knowledge kernel that says Larsen was a phenom who yes, had a perfect gamer but ultimately underachieved because he partied too much when he was with the Yankees, IE went out to the Copa every night with Mickey and Billy Martin and Whitey Ford. The times here in the obit reprints the knowledge kernel again.

Its bullshit wisdom. Ya know, whose career was Don Larsen supposed to have…? Start picking decent right handers from that era, Jim Bunning? Jim Perry? Robin Roberts? Don Larsen wasn’t as good as any of those guys. But as a 27 year old 6’4, 215 lb rhp he had real good stuff that was impressive over a game length. Thus he lucked out and threw a perfect game.

Bottom line wisdom, he had as good a career as he was supposed to have (I’m a baseball determinist on many facets of the game…).

There are guys who drank away their chance. Don Larsen wasn’t one of them (neither was Dwight Gooden, BTW).

I’m not even sure Larsen’s reputation as a bar fly is properly expressed. He was in his 20’s in those years he had in New York. He got married in 1960 and stayed married. 60 year marriage. That’s not suggestive of an out of control carouser.