# Rarest plays in baseball (MLB only) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 28, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505 "2014-05-28T21:49:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/41 "2014-05-30T12:24:36Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > WRONG! That’s what a lot of people thought. But as soon as it touched the fielder, it was a fair ball, and it went out of play without touching anything else, so it was a home run. Find the quote in the rule book that backs this up and I’ll believe you. But as quoted above I don’t think that’s true. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/42 "2014-05-30T14:08:36Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > It’s happened in the majors, too. > [MLB Baseball: News, Videos, Stats, Highlights, Results & More - NBC Sports - NBC Sports](http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/13/watch-carlos-beltran-throw-out-josh-beckett-at-first/) > [http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2028054-d-backs-gerardo-parra-throws-out-dan-haren-at-first-base-from-right-field](http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2028054-d-backs-gerardo-parra-throws-out-dan-haren-at-first-base-from-right-field) Happened again last night - [MLB.com | The Official Site of Major League Baseball](http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v33282551/must-c-cannon-bautista-nails-butler-at-first) ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/43 "2014-05-30T14:21:46Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Happened again last night - [MLB.com | The Official Site of Major League Baseball](http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v33282551/must-c-cannon-bautista-nails-butler-at-first) If you watch that video, it has multiple calls of the play, one is obviously from a Jays broadcast, but the last one I suspect of being from a Royals radio broadcast. The play by play guy says “Welcome to the world of artificial turf. That play would never have happened on real grass.” I completely disagree. I think real turf would have given the fielder a slightly slower bounce to field, but I still think they would have had him at first. This really isn’t a _super_ rare play. I’ve seen it a few times at the MLB level, and was on the receiving end of this as a college player. I was a good hit, good field, but slow player, so first base was my natural position. The rightfielder took a one hop line drive much like in the above video, and threw out the opposing teams catcher. Combination of catcher speed, sharp liner, and a strong arm in right field. ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/44 "2014-05-30T14:23:45Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > It’s happened in the majors, too. Hell, it happened _yesterday_. Jose Bautista threw out Billy Butler at first. EDIT: and I see I’m late to the party on pointing that out 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/45 "2014-05-30T14:24:30Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Don’t balls get stuck in the outfield ivy at Wrigley Field fairly often? Wall != roof. How many players have been afraid of being beaned by a ball that fell out of the ivy? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/46 "2014-05-30T14:44:42Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Wall != roof. How many players have been afraid of being beaned by a ball that fell out of the ivy? Great post/username combo. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/47 "2014-05-30T15:06:31Z")
I thought the rule was if it bounces off fielder over fence in fair territory=home run. If it bounces off fielder over railing in foul territory =double. So if a line drive gets the pitcher on the (exceptionally hard) head and bounces back over the screen behind the catcher, that’s a double. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/48 "2014-05-30T16:48:34Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Don’t balls get stuck in the outfield ivy at Wrigley Field fairly often? I remember seeing a ball get caught behind a sign Velcro’ed onto the outfield wall in Montreal. The umps had the sense to apply the Wrigley Rule and call it a double. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/49 "2014-05-30T16:57:57Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > John McSherry was a baseball umpire who suffered a heart attack during a game in Cincinnati. On opening day. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. > > A game against the Chicago Cubs was cancelled when one of the other team’s players, Darryl Kile, was found dead in his hotel room. Those aren’t really plays though…unless…the opposing team had something to do with it!! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/50 "2014-05-30T17:05:52Z")
Sean Casey gets thrown out at first…from left field. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/51 "2014-05-30T17:42:26Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > \*7.05.f from MLB official rules > > (f) Two bases, if a fair ball bounces or is deflected into the stands outside the first or third base foul lines: … (the rule continues with other types of ground rule doubles)\* > Wouldn’t this be the right rule to apply for the bounce off fielder into the stands short of the foul pole scenario here? Whoops, you are right. This posting has jogged my memory a bit and I just realized that I was remembering that backwards. A double it was ☹ ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/52 "2014-05-30T18:13:07Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I thought the rule was if it bounces off fielder over fence in fair territory=home run. If it bounces off fielder over railing in foul territory =double. So if a line drive gets the pitcher on the (exceptionally hard) head and bounces back over the screen behind the catcher, that’s a double. More or less, yes; the various possibilities are covered under Rule 6.09. The rule, specifically, is that a ball that strikes a fielder and then goes over the fence is a home run if the place at which the ball leaves the field of play is 1. In fair territory AND 2. Is more than 250 feet from home plate. There being no outfield fences that close to home anymore, the distance isn’t an issue in MLB, anyway. Dunno what weird minor league parks are out there. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/53 "2014-05-30T18:17:24Z")
In reading the baseball rules, there is a fair amount of gray area in the HR/GRD debate, so I posted a question on an umpiring forum. The discussion has been interesting. These are not MLB umps responding, I don’t believe, but it’s an interesting discussion nonetheless. [Umpire forum thread.](http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/topic/57953-ground-rule-double-or-hr/) ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/54 "2014-05-30T19:06:58Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Those aren’t really plays though…unless…the opposing team had something to do with it!! :eek: True, and so, withdrawn. What about [Eddie Gaedel?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Gaedel) Only time a dwarf appeared in a major league ball game. Draw a walk on four pitches, and was replaced with a pinch-runner. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/55 "2014-05-30T22:10:07Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > speaking of which, that happened once (for I believe the only time ever so far in MLB history) at Shea Stadium in the late 1980s, a batted baseball hit a bird in flight and ironically, was deemed a “ground rule” double It happened at least one other [time](http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/e320ca42): “In April (1974) he (Willie Horton) was involved in a bizarre incident at Fenway Park when he lofted a high foul fly directly over home plate that struck a pigeon. The bird landed at the feet of Red Sox catcher Bob Montgomery.” ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/56 "2014-05-30T22:41:13Z")
On [May 23, 1999](http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL199905230.shtml), Brady Anderson of the Orioles was Hit By Pitch twice in the same inning. He’s the only person ever to have this happen in the American League, but it’s happened [five times](http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_hbp2.shtml) in the National League. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/57 "2014-05-31T06:36:03Z")
Unbelievably ( considering the timing), there was a walk-off triple in last night’s Red Sox game. However they’re apparently not quite as rare as I said: > **[Andrelton Simmons and the Case of the Walk-Off Triple](https://not.fangraphs.com/andrelton-simmons-and-the-case-of-the-walk-off-triple/)** > > On Monday night, Andrelton Simmons beat the Rockies with a walk-off triple. One inquiring Twitter user wanted to know, How's that happen? My immediate thought was that a walk-off triple would have a… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/58 "2014-05-31T13:32:37Z")
While batted balls striking a pebble and taking a bad hop are pretty common, the old Comiskey Park had been built over a dump and sometimes debris such as a copper kettle would work itself to the top. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/59 "2014-05-31T14:43:48Z")
[The five-ball-walk](http://www.natsenquirer.com/2014/05/video-wilson-ramos-draws-a-five-ball-walk.html). Happened [only one other time](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080824&content_id=3363704&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&fext=.jsp), as far as I can tell (at least since 1889 ;)). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505/60 "2014-05-31T15:30:07Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > What about [Eddie Gaedel?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Gaedel) Only time a dwarf appeared in a major league ball game. Also probably the only time a pitcher (Bob Cain) laughed throughout an at-bat. Cain was later the only person from baseball to attend Gaedel’s funeral. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-baseball-mlb-only/689505.md?page=4)