OT: The Rarest Play in Baseball

Doctor Worm

Heisman
Feb 7, 2002
29,858
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This is a play that has never occurred in a major league game, but allegedly did occur in a minor league spring training game in 1986.

It is a triple play in which no fielder touches the ball.

Here's how it happened, according to one of the players in that game: First and second, no outs. Hit and run play is called (back when hit and run was a thing), and both runners take off, neither of whom is watching the ball.

The batter hits an infield pop and is immediately called out under the infield fly rule. One out.

The runner on second, not knowing the ball was hit, slides into third. The coach screams at him to get up and go back to second. He tries to do so, but...

The runner on first, who apparently thought the ball would carry to the outfield and drop safely, rounded second and sped to third - and passed the lead runner who was returning to second. The trailing runner is therefore called out. Two outs.

And... before the lead runner had safely returned to second, the descending pop fly hit him! So he too is out. A triple play in which no fielder touched the ball.

Did it actually happen? Who knows? But even the theoretical possibility is fun to think about.

 

Source

All-American
Aug 1, 2001
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How does a pitcher strike out a batter yet never face him?
 
Last edited:

BillyC80

Heisman
Oct 23, 2006
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lol
Runners are taught to watch the ball on a hit and run.
If it was a straight double steal, infielders can put some great fakes on to deceive you
Hey Zap, why isn’t it called a ‘run and hit?’
 

BillyC80

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Oct 23, 2006
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A true hit and run means you must swing and make contact, obviously best in hitters counts, runners do not attempt to get a good jump
Always thought it should have been called a ‘run and hit’ since the runners take off before the batter swings.
 

Source

All-American
Aug 1, 2001
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Three clock violations?
That involves automatic balls, not strikes.

Surprised zapaa hasn't jumped in here since the question actually happened shortly after his batting slot in a 1978 game.
 
Last edited:

BillyC80

Heisman
Oct 23, 2006
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How does a pitcher strike out a batter yet never face him?
I have no idea, unless for some reason the batter refuses to get in the batter’s box and the umpire allows the pitcher to go ahead and pitch without the batter in position.
 

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Aug 1, 2001
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I have no idea, unless for some reason the batter refuses to get in the batter’s box and the umpire allows the pitcher to go ahead and pitch without the batter in position.
That's not the answer I was looking for although the automatic balls and strikes for the new rules violations does open up some intriguing situations. The pitcher would still get the strikeout for "facing" the batter who refused to get in the batter's box in time.

My question was rooted more in the days before the violation rules.

It actually happened back on September 4, 1978 in a game between the Mets and the Pirates.
 
Last edited:

wheezer

Heisman
Jun 3, 2001
168,997
24,599
113
This is a play that has never occurred in a major league game, but allegedly did occur in a minor league spring training game in 1986.

It is a triple play in which no fielder touches the ball.

Here's how it happened, according to one of the players in that game: First and second, no outs. Hit and run play is called (back when hit and run was a thing), and both runners take off, neither of whom is watching the ball.

The batter hits an infield pop and is immediately called out under the infield fly rule. One out.

The runner on second, not knowing the ball was hit, slides into third. The coach screams at him to get up and go back to second. He tries to do so, but...

The runner on first, who apparently thought the ball would carry to the outfield and drop safely, rounded second and sped to third - and passed the lead runner who was returning to second. The trailing runner is therefore called out. Two outs.

And... before the lead runner had safely returned to second, the descending pop fly hit him! So he too is out. A triple play in which no fielder touched the ball.

Did it actually happen? Who knows? But even the theoretical possibility is fun to think about.

Thoughts
That would have to be one major league high pop up, in order for one base runner to pass the other and then still.have the ball hit a runner in the end

The first and third bases coaches must have been on vacation, since the ball was hit high and never left the infield
What were they doing ?
 

zappaa

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
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That involves automatic balls, not strikes.

Surprised zapaa hasn't jumped in here since the question actually happened shortly after his batting slot in a 1978 game.
So you’re saying it happened to a hitter on the Pirates in 1978 in a game i played in?
No clue
 
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Barnaby&Neill

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Dec 10, 2010
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That's not the answer I was looking for although the automatic balls and strikes for the new rules violations does open up some intriguing situations. The pitcher would still get the strikeout for "facing" the batter who refused to get in the batter's box in time.

My question was rooted more in the days before the violation rules.

It actually happened back on September 4, 1978 in a game between the Mets and the Pirates.

I cheated and looked it up, pretty interesting scoring quirk
 

Retired711

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Nov 20, 2001
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So you’re saying it happened to a hitter on the Pirates in 1978 in a game i played in?
No clue
PIRATES 7TH: Ott singled to right; Hodges allowed a passed ball
[Ott to second]; Hodges allowed a passed ball [Ott to third]; B.
Robinson homered [Ott scored]; LOCKWOOD REPLACED JACKSON
(PITCHING); Milner flied out to center; Garner singled to left;
BOYLAND BATTED FOR WHITSON; Garner stole second; Debut game
for Doe Boyland;
KOBEL REPLACED S. HENDERSON (PITCHING);
YOUNGBLOOD REPLACED LOCKWOOD (PLAYING LF); STENNETT BATTED FOR
BOYLAND; Stennett struck out (strikeout was charged to Boyland);
Taveras singled to center [Garner scored, Taveras to second (on
throw to home)]; Moreno grounded out (pitcher to first); 3 R, 4
H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 4, Pirates 5.

https://www.ultimate70s.com/mlbbox/19780904/NYN/PIT/1

So Stennett must have pinch-hit for Boyland (playing his first major league game) after the pitching change with two strikes on Boyland. Imagine striking out in your major league debut without even being in the batter's box!
 

Retired711

All-American
Nov 20, 2001
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PIRATES 7TH: Ott singled to right; Hodges allowed a passed ball
[Ott to second]; Hodges allowed a passed ball [Ott to third]; B.
Robinson homered [Ott scored]; LOCKWOOD REPLACED JACKSON
(PITCHING); Milner flied out to center; Garner singled to left;
BOYLAND BATTED FOR WHITSON; Garner stole second; Debut game
for Doe Boyland;
KOBEL REPLACED S. HENDERSON (PITCHING);
YOUNGBLOOD REPLACED LOCKWOOD (PLAYING LF); STENNETT BATTED FOR
BOYLAND; Stennett struck out (strikeout was charged to Boyland);
Taveras singled to center [Garner scored, Taveras to second (on
throw to home)]; Moreno grounded out (pitcher to first); 3 R, 4
H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 4, Pirates 5.

https://www.ultimate70s.com/mlbbox/19780904/NYN/PIT/1

So Stennett must have pinch-hit for Boyland (playing his first major league game) after the pitching change with two strikes on Boyland. Imagine striking out in your major league debut without even being in the batter's box!
BTW, Boyland has had a good life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doe_Boyland