9 scores and 15 years ago

it's been 15 years since hideo nomo doomed the presidential candidacy of bob dole by no-hitting the colorado rockies at coors field.  the dodgers won 9-0 as nomo struck out 8 and walked 4. 

it may not have been a "million dollar moment" as fleer suggests on the card above, but it was a big deal, not just because it was a no-hitter, but because it came in denver against a team at the peak of the 'blake street bomber' days.  in fact, nomo's previous start in denver that season had lasted 5 innings and resulted in 9 runs (5 earned) allowed.

dole, of course, figures in because he was on the campaign trail in los angeles at the time with just a couple of months before the presidential election.  he tried to impress the crowd with his knowledge of the local sports scene, except that he stated that nomo had pitched his no-no for the brooklyn dodgers.  a couple of weeks later, dole fell off of a stage during an appearance in northern california and that was pretty much all she wrote for the senator from kansas. 

just for kicks, here's nomo on a card from his second go-around with the dodgers

after he spun a second career no-hitter with the red sox.

i can only imagine if francisco liriano had thrown his no-hitter now instead of earlier in the season, perhaps michelle bachmann would have congratulated the fine 'washington senator' lefty before doing a pratfall off of a stage in iowa. ah, the stuff dreams are made of...