MLB's greatest no-hitters of past 100 years

From George Bradley in 1876 to James Paxton last season, there have been 299 recognized no-hitters in Major League history, so choosing the best of the best is obviously no easy feat.

The four games below have as good a case as any, however, and are sure to be talked about for years to come.

These are MLB's greatest no-hitters of the past 100 years.

Roy Halladay, Phillies

2010 NLDS Game 1 vs. Reds

Halladay’s first season in Philadelphia was incredible -- 21 wins, a 2.44 ERA over 250 2/3 innings, and a perfect game on May 29 -- setting the stage for the right-hander’s first career postseason start on Oct. 6, 2010, at Citizens Bank Park.

Somehow, Halladay exceeded expectations, throwing the second no-hitter in postseason history and the first in more than 50 years (more on that later). Only a walk to Jay Bruce in the top of the fifth inning prevented Halladay from tossing his second perfecto of the year.

Nolan Ryan, Rangers
May 1, 1991, vs. Blue Jays

In June 1990, Ryan became the oldest hurler ever to throw a no-hitter, holding the A’s without a knock at age 43. Less than a year later, a 44-year-old Ryan not only extended that record, but also his mark for total no-hitters, tossing the seventh and final one of his career.

The veteran flamethrower fanned 16 Jays and threw 122 pitches in the dominant effort as the Rangers won, 3-0, on the first day of May. Ryan, whose first and last no-nos came nearly 18 years apart, has recorded three more no-hitters than any other pitcher.

Jim Abbott, Yankees
Sept. 4, 1993, vs. Indians

Abbott’s career was a story of perseverance, as the southpaw spent 10 years in the Majors despite being born without a right hand.

Although the 1993 season wasn’t his best, Abbott turned in arguably the greatest performance of his big league tenure on Sept. 4, working around five walks to throw a no-hitter against an Indians lineup that included Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga and Albert Belle, as well two future superstars named Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome.

Don Larsen, Yankees
1956 World Series Game 5 vs. Dodgers (perfect game)

During his 14-year career, Larsen was a league-average pitcher who spent more time as a reliever than he did as a starter, and he entered this contest having lasted only 1 2/3 innings in his previous start, a Yankees loss in Game 2 three days earlier. But on baseball’s grandest stage, with the Fall Classic knotted at two games apiece, against a lineup that featured four future Hall of Famers (Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella) as well as eight-time All-Star Gil Hodges, Larsen wasn’t just great, he was perfect.

Larsen, then 27 years old, faced 27 Dodgers and retired all of them, getting Dale Mitchell looking for the final out of the game before catcher Yogi Berra memorably jumped into his arms along the first-base line. With the performance, Larsen became the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the playoffs, and he remains the only hurler in history with a postseason perfect game.