There have officially been 294 no-hitters recognized by Major League Baseball, but none as significant as Dock Ellis’ on June 12, 1970. Ellis, who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, dealt an eight-walk, no-hit performance in a 2-0 victory all the while on LSD. Self-described as “high as a Georgia pine” that day, Ellis was relaxing with some friends in Los Angeles on what he thought was his day off until someone showed him a newspaper that said he was slated to pitch that day in San Diego. 

Interestingly enough, Ellis tried to replicate the success and it went horribly the second time around. In 1974, Ellis took LSD again before the game and made up in his mind to purposely hit every batter he faced. Playing the Cincinnati Reds, Ellis beaned Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and many others that day. 

Ellis passed away on December 19, 2008 but would’ve celebrated his birthday today if he were still alive. Below, watch a clip from No No, a documentary released about that performance with some quotes from Ellis himself.