The Show.

Today, Dallas Braden threw the 19th perfect game in MLB history as his Oakland A's beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-0. This feat is perhaps the most prestigious achievement in all of sports, let alone in baseball, but that fact that Dallas Braden did it on this day makes it even more special than usual.

First off, this came to be in the midst of a whole controversy with Alex Rodriguez after A-Rod walked across Braden's mound during a game on April 22nd. They had some words, and A-Rod disregarded Braden because he only had, "a handful of wins." Now, Braden is the one on top, and despite having a career record of 17-23, he will now go down forever in baseball history, regardless of what his record is at the end of his career.

Another reason this feat is even more significant than usual is because of the fact that he accomplished it against one of the highest-powered offenses in the league. The Rays, who have the best record in baseball, are currently second in the majors in runs, trailing the Yanks by just one, and they have a team batting average just under .260. It's hard to believe that a guy like Dallas Braden, on a team like the Oakland A's, could have such a day against baseball's best team.

But perhaps the most significant aspect of today's perfect game is the fact that it came on Mother's Day, but Braden's mother was not in attendance. Braden's mother died of skin cancer when he was just a senior in high school, and his grandmother, who helped raise him after his mother passed, was at the game today cheering him on. We saw every odd stacked up against him, but despite the obstacles, Dallas Braden not only got a win for his club - he etched his name into baseball's history books.