How about the (almost) quadruple play? Perfectly legal, too. It happened in Cuba, here described by Thomas Boswell, one of the great baseball writers of all time:
*The 4-out play, explained, becomes stunningly simple to baseball afficionados and stays forever unintelligble to the rest of humanity. Any Cuban school child, for instance, could explain it.
With the bases loaded, none out, tie game, Sanchez made a remarkable catch in right-center field. The runners on first and second ran on the line drive in the gap, and were trapped as Sanchez pegged to second and the relay was fired to first. Triple play: one flyball caught, two runners doubled up.
Meanwhile, however, the alert runner on third base had tagged up and crossed home plate before the final (third) out at first base. Since the final out was not a force out, the run counted.
Here, the play takes on what might be called The Cuban Dimension. The manager of Sanchez’ team appealed the runner tagging out at third, claiming that he had left the base a split second before the catch.
Few managers would know that such an appeal play could result in a legitimate fourth out, thus nullifying a vital run. Except, that is, in Cuba where even the hounds lying in the road would know.
In the confusion, one umpire signalled that fourth out, while the others upheld the run. Finally, the run was upheld, and it cost Sanchez’ team (Matanzas) the game, 3-2.*
I presume the rest of the play is obvious …