Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 13, 1990                   TAG: 9007130119
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DELAND, FLA.                                LENGTH: Medium

IN YEAR OF NO-HITTERS, AMERICAN LEGION STAR HAS TWO IN ONE NIGHT

Vander Meer pitched consecutive no-hitters on different days in 1938 for the Cincinnati Reds, but Tom Laraway, 17, had two five-inning no-hitters in one night.

Laraway pitched both games of an American Legion baseball doubleheader Wednesday as the DeLand Chipmunks twice beat Flagler Palm Coast 10-0. Each game was shortened to five innings because of the slaughter rule.

"The second game was great; I had everything working for me," Laraway said. "The first game was good, but I threw much better the second game."

Seven no-hitters have been pitched in the major leagues this season, including four in June and two on the same night.

However, Laraway knew his feat was even more rare. After the first no-hitter, DeLand coach Paul Peacock decided to see how far Laraway could go in the second game.

"Tom has a rubber arm. He can just keep throwing," Peacock said. "His arm was feeling great in the second game, so I just told him to go out there and have fun.

"He knew he had a chance to make history, but he kept his composure until the end. He just went out there and threw strikes."

Flagler hit only two balls hard all night, both in the second game. A hard grounder down the third base line just went foul, and a hard grounder to the right side was fielded by the first baseman, who made the putout.

Laraway struck out three and walked five in the first game. He had nine strikeouts and seven walks in the second.

"I had no idea I could go out there and do it again," Laraway said, "but I didn't think about it. I just went out there and threw what I had."

Keywords:
BASEBALL