He had already done the impossible once and was on the verge of doing it again.

Less than a year after his perfect game against the Dodgers, Tom Browning retired the first 24 Phillies on July 4, 1989, putting him three outs from becoming the first pitcher ever to throw two perfect games. With history looming, leadoff hitter Dickie Thon opened the ninth by splitting the gap for a double, ending the bid in an instant. What could have been a once-in-a-lifetime feat instead became baseball’s closest brush with double perfection.