Durability and dominance separated Matt Cain from even the most accomplished San Francisco Giants. He amassed 12 years and 38 days of continuous major league service time, more than any Giant who played exclusively for the ballclub since its 1958 move west. Cain also distinguished himself on June 13, 2012, by pitching the major leagues’ 22nd perfect game ever in a 10-0 decision over Houston. It was the only perfect game by a Giant since the team’s inception in 1883. Cain struck out a career-high 14 batters that night, matching Sandy Koufax’s 1965 record for the most “KS” recorded in a perfect game. One month later, Cain became the seventh Giants pitcher to start an All-Star game. It was his third and final selection to the National League roster for the midsummer classic. Cain particularly excelled in the postseason. He worked 21 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run in three starts in 2010, then started each of the Giants’ three series-clinching victories in 2012. Cain was one of nine Giants to play for every team that won three World Series in a five-season stretch from 2010 through 2014. He had started 261 games for the Giants when a forearm injury late in the 2013 season forced him onto the disabled list for the first time. A competitor to the very end, Cain pitched five shutout innings against San Diego in his final career start on Sept. 30, 2017, despite not appearing in a game during the previous 29 days. Said giants right fielder Hunter Pence, “It just goes to show his character and will to put a performance like that out there. It was incredible.” a native of Dothan, Ala., who graduated from Houston High School in Germantown, Tenn., Cain, grew to appreciate San Francisco and its environs with his wife, Chelsea, and their daughters, Hartley and Everly. “The memories we’ve made in this town are tremendous. It’ll always be something special for us,” Cain said. “This city means so much to our family: it really can’t be taken away from us.”
Inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2018
Narrative by Chris Haft