John Means’ no-hitter on Wednesday was a historic moment for the Orioles, but for a fan battling COVID-19 in a hospital 3,000 miles away, it was an inspirational one.
Scott Graham, isolated from his friends and family in an ICU in Raleigh, North Carolina, wanted to share the Orioles’ first no-hitter since 1969 with his son. So he sent an emotional video from his hospital bed.
His son, Josh, posted the since-viral clip to social media, which has garnered over 180,000 views.
In a follow-up tweet, Josh said his dad was overwhelmed by the immense reaction to the video.
“After Means’ no-no, he’s been talking trash with his doctor, a Yankee fan, and showing off his Orioles mask this morning,” Josh wrote. “He’s been overwhelmed by the amount of reaction and support he’s seen on social media.”
Means struck out 12 batters without a single walk, with the only baserunner coming when the Mariners’ Sam Haggerty reached on a dropped third strike in the third inning.
“I can’t put it into words,” Means told reporters. “I can’t do it. It’s such a crazy feeling. It’s such a whirlwind of an experience, and I don’t think I’ve been able to process it yet. But to be in the same breath as Palmer, I don’t think that gets much better than that.”
