# Rarest plays in sports? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963 "2006-09-08T19:39:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/81 "2006-09-12T16:25:16Z")
In the entire history of the American Bowling Congress, there have only been 3 perfect series of 900 recognized: Troy Ockerman, December 1993 Norm Duke, April 1996 Jeremy Sonnenfeld, February 1997 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/82 "2006-09-12T16:53:30Z")
Isn’t a double hat trick in Cricket pretty rare? ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/83 "2006-09-12T19:39:42Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] Football field goal tending is very rare. As near as I can tell the only person successful at this particular tactic was a guy named R.C. Owens back in the 1960s. Nobody will ever again have any success at it, either, because it is now illegal. [/QUOTE] What exactly is field goal tending? (Assuming you mean American football.) ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/84 "2006-09-12T19:58:42Z")
Jumping to knock down a kick as/before it goes through the goal posts. This is now illegal batting, safety if it goes out of bounds or the defense recovers, touchdown if the offense recovers in the endzone. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/85 "2006-09-12T20:17:58Z")
[QUOTE=DKW] For football, I nominated the missed field goal returned for a touchdown. … [/QUOTE] I have been to only 3 NFL games, but that happened at one of them. NY Jets at Indianapolis Colts, just a few seconds left in the half, and the Colts tried a field goal at the very edge of the kicker’s range. The kick went wide and short (couldn’t blame the wind, it was in a dome.) A Jet defender caught it in the end zone and ran with it. Ten of the Colts had already turned to walk to the locker room. Only the kicker saw the catch and knew what could happen. He made a valiant try at a tackle, but he failed. Touchdown. The Colts were still ahead, but the momentum had shifted. The Jets came back to win. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/86 "2006-09-12T20:31:05Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] In a Redwing hockey game years ago. Two players hit the puck simultaneously and it went way up in the air,past the light so it was invisible. It landed on a goalies back and bounced into the net. The newspapers showed diagrams with dotted lined showing the path. [/QUOTE] Gretzky did this a couple of times on purpose. He’d set up behind the opponent’s net, and with the goalie looking left, then right, trying to figure which side Gretzky was going to come out on, he’d softly flip the puck up over the net, onto the goalie’s back and in. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/87 "2006-09-12T20:45:38Z")
[QUOTE=aktep] Jumping to knock down a kick as/before it goes through the goal posts. This is now illegal batting, safety if it goes out of bounds or the defense recovers, touchdown if the offense recovers in the endzone. [/QUOTE] Ah- so if the defense was leading by three at the very end of a game, they would actually be smart to try to bat the ball illegally. I never knew that was against the rules; I just figured it was too difficult to be worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/88 "2006-09-12T22:42:41Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] Isn’t a double hat trick in Cricket pretty rare? [/QUOTE] If you mean six wickets in six consecutive balls, that’s never happened in the first-class game. IIRC no-one has ever taken five in five - Charlie Parker, for Gloucestershire, once bowled five consecutive deliveries that all beat the bat and hit the stumps, but the second was a no-ball and didn’t count. But I thought we were after unusual _plays_ rather than mere scoring feats. The maximum of 36 runs off six consecutive deliveries (one “over”\*) has been achieved twice in first-class cricket, once by Garry Sobers and once by Javed Miandad. slight over-simplification for the seppoes Wicketkeeper Leslie Ames once appealed twice on one delivery. He caught a ball that batsman Don Bradman, no less, had got a faint touch to, and seeing the Don out of his ground he also whipped the bails off for a stumping. The square-leg umpire turned down the appeal for the latter (presumably Bradman got a foot down in time) but the bowler’s umpire uphelp the appeal for the catch. Some commentators thought that this was sharp practice, but Bradman was quite happy with the whole affair. (Baseball’s double and triple plays have no counterpart in cricket; only one batsman can be out on any given play.) ---
**Author:** ![deadeyesdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@deadeyesdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deadeyesdad)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/89 "2006-09-12T22:53:25Z")
I saw Tony Gwynn hit an inside the park grand slam. I know it was in the late '90s at Chavez Ravine and Brett Butler was playing LF. So I believe it was[June 26, 1997](http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B06260LAN1997.htm) This was the late in his career fat Tony. Watching him waddle around the bases was about as bad as watching Butler dive after a fly ball on the line and lay there looking at his glove after he missed it by about 5 feet. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/90 "2006-09-12T22:57:22Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] If you mean six wickets in six consecutive balls, that’s never happened in the first-class game. [/QUOTE] That’s exactly what I meant. I’d heard that it had happened some years ago. Oh, well. BTW, would you happen to recall the name of the guy who sort of recently got the “award” for staying at the stumps the longest for a score of zero? ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/91 "2006-09-12T23:08:59Z")
> [@OP](#): > > And it was only the second TP ever to start with a strikeout and involve just two players. The other was a 2-3 trifecta pulled off by the Chicago White Stockings against the Cleveland Blues on May 20, 1880. OK, I surrender. How in the name of heaven did that go down? It’s been bugging me since this thread started … Out one was the strikeout. Then, I guess, the catcher tagged a runner who’d been trying to steal home. Then threw out … somebody at first. But if there was a runner at first, why wasn’t he heading towards second? Why would the runner at third be trying to steal home if there wasn’t a double steal on? Gah! ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/92 "2006-09-12T23:57:01Z")
[QUOTE=SCSimmons] OK, I surrender. How in the name of heaven did that go down? It’s been bugging me since this thread started … Out one was the strikeout. Then, I guess, the catcher tagged a runner who’d been trying to steal home. Then threw out … somebody at first. But if there was a runner at first, why wasn’t he heading towards second? Why would the runner at third be trying to steal home if there wasn’t a double steal on? Gah! [/QUOTE] Same here… best I can come up with is this: - Batter pops up a bunt down the 3rd base line for strike 3 (out 1.) - Catcher tags runner coming home from 3rd (out 2.) - Catcher fires to first to catch runner returning to 1st (out 3.) Of course, I’m probably missing something that makes that implausible. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/93 "2006-09-13T05:37:33Z")
[QUOTE=Clothahump] In the entire history of the American Bowling Congress, there have only been 3 perfect series of 900 recognized: Troy Ockerman, December 1993 Norm Duke, April 1996 Jeremy Sonnenfeld, February 1997 [/QUOTE] _[nitpick]_ I’m not sure what your source is, but the USBC (a joint organization that consists of the former ABC, WIBC and YABA) has recognized eleven 900 series, the most recent having occurred in April of this year. You can find a list of all of them at the end of [this article](http://www.bowl.com/usyouthbowler/spotlight.aspx). Norm Duke did indeed have 36 consecutive strikes in 1996, but the three games he bowled were split between two different squads in a tournament, and therefore did not count as a 900 series. A similar situation happened with Troy Ockerman, who bowled three consecutive 300 games, but over the course of two different events within the same tournament (he actually bowled a 4th 300 game in the same tournament :eek: ). _[/nitpick]_ Check out [this article](http://www.bowlingball.com/static/trivia1.php) for more details and several similarly salacious strike-stringing snippets. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/94 "2006-09-13T12:50:34Z")
[QUOTE=SCSimmons] > [@OP](#): > > And it was only the second TP ever to start with a strikeout and involve just two players. The other was a 2-3 trifecta pulled off by the Chicago White Stockings against the Cleveland Blues on May 20, 1880. OK, I surrender. How in the name of heaven did that go down? It’s been bugging me since this thread started … [/QUOTE] Well, [this webpage at SABR](http://tripleplays.sabr.org/tp_load.htm) (entitled _Bases Loaded Triple Plays_) gives a bit more detail: > [@](#): > > **5/20/1880** , Chicago White Stockings vs. Cleveland Blues : _2-3_-3\*\*\* So two of the outs came courtesy of the _first baseman_, not the catcher, and with no relays in between back to the catcher (given that the parameters only specified “involving just two players”). And, the bases were loaded, so the TP wasn’t turned with men on first and third. Hmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/95 "2006-09-13T13:10:01Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] Well, [this webpage at SABR](http://tripleplays.sabr.org/tp_load.htm) (entitled _Bases Loaded Triple Plays_) gives a bit more detail… [/QUOTE] Aha, and [this here link](http://tripleplays.sabr.org/tp_1880.htm) (also from SABR) has even more detail: the play-by-play account. > [@](#): > > 5/20/1880 > NL Chicago White Stockings vs NL Cleveland Blues > Lake Front Park I > > Top 5 INNING > Score 0 - 1 > PLAY SEQUENCE: 2\*-3\*-3\* > Source: Chicago Tribune (SABR Ed Hartig) > > Event: K+E2+2(3)1X2(23)3(B)/TP > > 3 Men On: > First: Frank Hankinson > Second: Bill “WB” Phillips > Third: Ned Hanlon > > Out# Type Loc: > Batr: 3 F 1 > Runr1: 2 T 1 > Runr2: 4 > Runr3: 1 F H > > Jack Glasscock (CL2) is the batter. > > He struck out, but the C (Silver Flint) took care to drop the third missed strike, then he touched the plate, forcing the runner from third, Ned Hanlon (OUT 1) > > C then sent the ball like lightning to the 1B (Cap Anson) who first touched the runner at first, Frank Hankinson (OUT 2) > > Then the 1B touched the bag to retire the batter, Jack Glasscock (OUT 3) I don’t think this is possible under “modern” baseball rules, if the catcher drops strike three the runners are not forced to run, are they? ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/96 "2006-09-13T13:47:14Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] I don’t think this is possible under “modern” baseball rules, if the catcher drops strike three the runners are not forced to run, are they? [/QUOTE] Yep. Baseball rule 6.05 (c) says “A batter is out when a third strike is not caught by the catcher when first base is occupied before two are out.” This eliminates any sort of force situation on a dropped third strike. I wouldn’t be surprised if the rule written in response to that play in 1880. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/97 "2006-09-13T14:34:04Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] Aha, and [url=[http://tripleplays.sabr.org/tp\_1880.htm](http://tripleplays.sabr.org/tp_1880.htm)]I don’t think this is possible under “modern” baseball rules, if the catcher drops strike three the runners are not forced to run, are they? [/QUOTE] Oh, rules changes–of course. The dropped third strike was one of the first things I thought of in trying to think of a ‘weird’ strikeout play that could have happened, but I quickly abandoned the idea. But given the rules as they were in 1880 … That was one quick-thinking catcher, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/98 "2006-09-13T15:33:03Z")
A 2-2-3 triple play could certainly still happen, assuming the runner was trying to steal home on his own, and a slow runner on first. Runner on third breaks for home. Pitch is a third strike. Catcher catches the ball (one putout), then tags the runner coming in (two putouts). Runner on first zones out a bit and doesn’t run for second. Catcher notices, tosses the ball to first before runner can get back. 2-2-3 triple play. Now something like a 2-7-9 triple play is probably impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/99 "2006-09-13T15:46:55Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Now something like a 2-7-9 triple play is probably impossible. [/QUOTE] That would have to be one hell of a game of Pickle. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963/100 "2006-09-13T18:09:27Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Now something like a 2-7-9 triple play is probably impossible. [/QUOTE] I dunno. I did see a game once where the outfielders were all playing extremely shallow, to the point of basically acting as infield backup. Sort of the opposite configuration of the “no-doubles” defense, it was a “no-groundball-hits” defense against a high-average, slap hitting and fast running batter (a Jason Tyner type, and it may even have been him), also allowing the corner basemen to play very close to the line to guard against doubles. It worked, too: the batter hit a ball “through the hole” into right field, but the right fielder was able to pick it up and throw him out at first base for a rather unusual 9-3 putout. Extending this scenario, you could imagine a men-on-first-and-second scenario with the outfielders playing infield, so to speak, and a double steal attempt made combined with a strikeout at home plate… Basically a “normal” 2-6-4 or somesuch triple play but with the outfielders covering the bases 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rarest-plays-in-sports/371963.md?page=6)