The 6’5″ 19-year-old Necciai received nationwide attention after his remarkable 27-strikeout, no-hit game of May 13, 1952, pitching for Bristol against Welch (Appalachian League). His performance was marred only by a walk, a hit batsman, a dropped third strike, and an error. His next start was a 24-strikeout two-hitter. That season he fanned 109 batters in 43 innings at Bristol and a Carolina League-high 172 in 126 innings at Durham before getting the call to Pittsburgh. Branch Rickey said, “There have been only two young pitchers I was certain were destined for greatness….One of those boys was Dizzy Dean. The other is Ron Necciai.” Rocket Ron went 1-6. Plagued by ulcers and arm trouble, he soon was out of baseball.
