Amazingly, improbably, death-defyingly, Major League Baseball has now seen three unassisted triple plays in the last three years, thanks to Eric Bruntlett, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Troy Tulowitski. To put that in perspective, from June 1, 1927 to September 19, 1992 – a period of over sixty-five seasons – Major League Baseball saw only one unassisted triple play, on July 30, 1968.
Perhaps it is a testament to the truly bizarre and unique nature that in the two days before that sixty-five year period began, we saw two unassisted triple plays in two days, or that we had six in the 1920s but none at all in the 1910s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s.
Truly, more than any other baseball occurrence, turning an unassisted triple play makes a player instantly and uniquely a part of baseball history.
Just ask Bill Wambsganss, whoever the hell that is.
Player | Date | Inning |
Neal Ball - SS | July 19, 1909 | 2nd |
Cleveland Indians | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner coming from 1st. | | |
Bill Wambsganss - 2B | October 10, 1920 | 5th |
Cleveland Indians | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner coming from 1st. | | |
George Burns - 1B | September 14, 1923 | 2nd |
Boston Red Sox | | |
liner - tagged man off 1st. tag 2nd before man returned. | | |
Ernie Padgett - SS | October 6, 1923 | 4th |
Boston Braves | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner coming from 1st. | | |
Glenn Wright - SS | May 7, 1925 | 9th |
Pittsburgh Pirates | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner going back to 1st. | | |
Jimmy Cooney - SS | May 30, 1927 | 4th |
Chicago Cubs | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner coming from 1st. | | |
Johnny Neun - 1B | May 31, 1927 | 9th |
Detroit tigers | | |
liner - tagged man off 1st. tag 2nd before man returned. | | |
Ron Hansen - SS | July 30, 1968 | 1st |
Washington Senators | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner coming from 1st. | | |
Mickey Morandini - 2B | September 20, 1992 | 6th |
Philadelphia Phillies | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner coming from 1st. | | |
John Valentin - SS | July 8, 1994 | 6th |
Boston Red Sox | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner coming from 1st. | | |
Randy Velarde - 2B | May 29, 2000 | 6th |
Oakland Athletics | | |
liner - tagged runner coming from 1st. touched 2nd. | | |
Rafael Furcal - SS | August 10, 2003 | 5th |
Atlanta Braves | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner going back to 1st. | | |
Troy Tulowitski - SS | April 29, 2007 | 9th |
Colorado Rockies | | |
Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner going back to first | | |
Asdrubal Cabrera - SS | May 12, 2008 | 9th |
Cleveland Indians | | |
Caught line drive, touched 2nd, tagged runner going back to first | | |
Eric Bruntlett - 2B | August 23, 2009 | 9th |
Philadelphia Phillies | | |
liner - touched 2nd. tagged runner going back to 1st. | | |
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