Ten reasons we're going nuts over Mark Buehrle's(notes) perfect game ...

10. Hawk Harrelson — On most any other day, the White Sox's homerific announcer is a guaranteed nerve grater with over-the-top boosterism and bellyaching over balls and strikes.

But over the final outs of Thursday's game, Harrelson's enthusiasm was finally representative of what we were all feeling at home. "YES! YES! YES!" he yelled after the 27th batter, Jason Bartlett(notes), grounded out to short. "History!" A little bit Meg Ryanish, sure, but exciting all the same. 

9. First place on the line — Buehrle did more than pitch the majors' first perfect game since Randy Johnson(notes) in 2004 and the first in the American League since David Cone in 1999. He also pitched the White Sox into first place in the AL Central for the first time since May 1. Think that will give them some momentum headed into this weekend's series in Detroit against the Tigers, the team they're now tied with?

8. Presidential phoner — Media members generally get a little snippy when they're cut off with the "one more question" warning. But Buehrle's interruption was perfectly understandable: The nation's first White Sox fan — President Barack Obama — was calling from the Presidential limousine to offer his congratulations.

7. Resume builder — Buehrle can now bookmark this perfect game with the no-hitter that he threw in 2007 and he's now only the sixth pitcher to rack both a perfect game and a no-no. The previous five — Sandy Koufax, Randy Johnson, Addie Joss, Cy Young and Jim Bunning — are all in the Hall of Fame (or at least headed that way).

Were it not for a walk of Sammy Sosa(notes) in 2007, Buehrle might be the only pitcher in MLB history with two perfect games. (As it was, he picked Sosa off first base two pitches later.)

6. Fathers and sons— John Buerhle, Mark's father, joined Comcast Sports Chicago after the game and joked that watching the game on television was dangerous for someone who had heart surgery back in 2002. 

"I have a pacemaker. I was glad I have one, because that's the only thing that kept my heart going," John Buehrle said. "I can't think of anything more exciting than what I just went through. "

5. The White Sox's final line — Yes, the 0-0-0  following the Rays was its usual thing of beauty, but did you get a chance to check out the White Sox's final totals? 

Yup, that's 5-6-0 — the first two digits being Buehrle's number. (H/T @aimclemson)

There were a few other cool coincidences, too:

• The home plate umpire Eric Cooper, was also behind the dish for Buehrle's no-hitter and wears uniform no. 56. 

• Thursday's game lasted two hours and three minutes, the same as the 2007 no-no. 

• Catcher Ramon Castro(notes) had never caught Buehrle before. 

4. The competition — Not to take anything away from Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter against a weak Padres lineup before the All-Star break, but Buehrle — a pitch-to-contact pitcher — retired all 27 batters from the defending American League Champions. And even though it was getaway day, catcher Dioner Navarro(notes) was the only Rays regular missing from the lineup. 

3. Actual achievement — For most of the day, it looked like the only sports "news," we'd be getting would center around Michael Vick's strip club visit, LeBron James' marijuana admission and someone asking Tim Tebow about his virginity.

What a thrill, then, to see Buehrle go out and make actual baseball history.

2. Dewayne Wise(notes)

The picture says it all, but we wouldn't be here were it not for Wise entering the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning and then covering half of Bridgeport before robbing Gabe Kapler(notes) of what would have been an achievement-ending blast. Web gem of the decade.

1. 27 up, 27 down. No runs. No hits. No walks. No errors.  Over 388,364 games in baseball's history, only 17 other pitchers have done the same thing. 'Nuff said.