Sports at Lunch, David Wells, Don Larsen and Randy Jones with Jerry Coleman

Padres announcer Jerry Coleman, once again serving as moderator at the Hall of Champiions for Sports at Lunch, opened the Feb. 15 event by asking the audience, "Do you know how many perfect games have been thrown in baseball since 1901?" Then he answered his own question:

"Seventeen," he said, adding, "and two of them are sitting in front of you."

Don Larsen threw a perfect game for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956 in the World Series -- the only World Series perfect game -- and David Wells tossed one for the Yankees in 1998.

Their place in baseball history also is joined by their roots as Point Loma High graduates.

Larsen and Wells recalled their perfect games by saying none of their teammates would talk to them. It's a time-honored tradition that no one brings up a no-hitter or perfect game in progress for fearing of jinxing the pitcher.

"I was looking around for someone to talk to," Wells said.

But it wasn't just the teammates that concerned Wells.

"I remember the fans were making me nervous," Wells said. "Every pitche I threw, whether it was a foot outside or two feet, they were screaming at the umpire."

Both players also talked about their close calls.

For Larsen, it was a shot by Jackie Robinson to the third baseman that he couldn't handle. But the ball bounced to the shortstop and Robinson was thrown out.

"Another scare was when Gil Hodges hit one deep to left center," Larsen said. "I was worried until I saw Mickey (Mantle) running after it. I said, 'Forget it, Hodges.' Mickey could run like a deer."

Wells recalled a shot that bounced off Chuck Knoblach's chest, but Knoblach recovered to throw out the runner.

Randy Jones, who won the Cy Young for the Padres in 1976, wasn't as fortunate as Wells and Larsen. He had a perfect game through seven innings on July 3, 1975 against the Cincinnati Reds when Tony Perez hit a routine ground ball to Hector Torrez shortstop.

"Hector threw it six rows up in the stands," Jones said. "Willie McCovey was our first baseman, and he still overthrew him."

The players also talked the game then and now, the salaries and whether young players are playing for the money or the love of the game.

Wells, who had planned to make 2006 his final season after helping the Padres win the Naitonal League West title, was recently signed by the Padres for another season.

"I'm honored and pleased that I have a chance to finish my career in San Diego," Wells said.

Larsen and Jones are members of the Breitbard Hall of Fames and Wells will no doubt join him once he finally retires.

What else did the pitching greats have to say at Sports at Lunch? You should have been there.