Inspire by reader Kenny, I ask if anybody can recall multiple instances of any of the following events happening in the same game:
(a) a no-hitter
(b) a triple-play
(c) A squeeze bunt that scores a run
(d) a successful steal of home plate
(e) an inside-the-park home run
(f) hitting for the cycle
Maybe we can start with lists of each specific event and then see if any of the games match up?
After a lot of research (Ok, 5 minutes) I found 1 name who hit an inside the park HR while hitting for the cycle. Ike’s baby brother, The other horse of NY (not Lou “Iron Horse” Gehrig) none other then Mr. Harry “Harry the Horse” Danning of the NY Giants way back on June 15, 1940. 71 Years, 9 months, and 9 days ago….
How about “an inside the park homerun involving two football players.”
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA199007170.shtml
Bo was 3-3, 3HR, 7 rbi.
Separated his shoulder diving for Deion’s liner that went to the wall.
Prime Time moonwalked the 360.
(Yankees lost, 10-7 (it was 1990, after all))
Bo came back 6 weeks later and, in his 1st plate appearance since the injury, hit a dinger off Randy Johnson – giving him HRs in four consecutive PAs.
whoa that date seems special
two triple plays
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS199007170.shtml
Also on 7/17/90:
– Tom Glavine won while allowing 7 runs in 6.1 IP – his only win allowing 7+ runs.
– Lonnie Smith had the only 2-triple game of his career.
– Mel Stottlemyre, Jr. made his MLB debut with an inning of relief. It was he who allowed Deion’s inside-the-park HR, as well as an extremely rare extra-base hit by Alvaro Espinoza.
– Omar Vizquel played in his 153rd career game, going 0-for-2 to drop his career BA to .231 with .276 slugging.
Another interesting thing about the two triple plays in that game was that they involved the same fielders, 5-4-3.
Here is a game I recall offhand where Sammy Sosa and Tony Womack hit inside the park homers in both halves of the same inning…
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT199705260.shtml
And I believe this game features the last such instance of back to back IPHR’s, at least it was a decade and a half ago when I saw it on a baseball trivia calendar…
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA197708270.shtml
Pokey Reese – on May 8th, 2004, he hit an inside-the-park HR, AND a regular HR, in consecutive innings against the Royals. At the time it was made a big deal of that this was unique in MLB history, I’m not sure how to check this.
The ironic part is that he hit only three HR the entire year, and the next HR on Jume 10th was the third of that year, and the _last_ of his career.
On 8/13/26 Lou Gehrig hit an IPHR off Walter Johnson in the top of the 4th and a regular HR in the top of the 5th, again off Walter Johnson.
Richard,
Thanks, will you reveal your secret? I guess you can’t trust Elias …
I realized that there wasn’t anything Gehrig could not do. Just kidding!
Actually there was a bit of luck involved. I played the percentages and searched the HR logs of guys who hit quite a few IPHRs. I checked Cobb, Hornsby and Crawford. I did find some games with an IPHR and regular HR in the same game but not in consecutive innings. I remembered reading somewhere that Gehrig had a modest number of IPHRs so I checked his game log and looked for IPHRs and compared them to the HR immediately above and below it and compared dates. Gehrig was capable of doing more things than people realize, such as holding the record for most steals of home by a Yankee player.
Dick Allen, two IPHRs in the same game:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN197207310.shtml
___________
Greg Gagne, IPHRs in Consecutive PA:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN198610040.shtml
I realize this doesn’t qualify, but Mel Stottlemyre’s inside the park grand slam again Boston, July 20, 1965 http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA196507200.shtml. That’s one of only two inside the park grand slams by a pitcher in the last 100 years.
that game also featured an appearance by the immortal Ross Mochitto, who replaced Mickey Mantle late in game.
Mochitto’s career line (you have to read it carefully)
110 Games, 39 PA, 36 AB, 13 Runs wth only six hits (five singles, one home run) and one walk and one RBI. 167/.184/,250. Pity Mochitto didn’t hit his only career home run in that game, but Stottlemyre’s output in that game exceeded Mochitto’s career
Moschitto’s career consisted almost exclusively as a replacement for Mickey Mantle late in the game. He never played in the first 4 innings of a game. I remember seeing his only HR, a towering shot deep into the LF stands at the Stadium. BTW he had 3 career RBIs.
He was signed at age 19 in 1964 and hit (an impressive) 20 HRs in half a rookie league season. Then he makes the Yankees out of spring training the next season and averages an at-bat per week. I need to know more. Was he hyped up after his successful first pro season or did he just make the best martini of all the rookies in spring training?
Also – this week’s reason for why I love baseball: Once upon a time Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Phil Linz, and Ross Moschitto all hit a home runn in the same game.
He was signed at age 19 in 1964 and hit (an impressive) 20 HRs in a half season(?) rookie league. Then he makes the Yankees out of spring training the next season and averages an at-bat per week. I need to know more. Was he hyped up after his successful first pro season or did he just make the best martini of all the rookies in spring training?
Also – this week’s reason for why I love baseball: Once upon a time Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Phil Linz, and Ross Moschitto all hit a home run in the same game.
Nice find on Moschitto and that “once upon a time” game (6/18/65).
Also in that game, Minnesota’s Rich Rollins hit an inside-the-park HR, one of two by visiting players in Yankee Stadium that year. Zoilo Versalles hit the other.
I wonder who holds the position-player record for games played with no starts? Moschitto had 97 games. Herb Washington had 105. Can’t search it with the P-I Season Finder.
P.S. Moschitto’s rookie league teammate Bobby Murcer batted .365 but with just 2 HRs.
After searching B-R for career G>= 100 and AB < 1*GP (non-pitchers) and manually looking at career totals, I am ready to say that Moschitto has the record for most games played (PH & PR appearances included) without a start with 112.
Don Hopkins is 3rd on the all-time startless list behind Moschitto and Washington. Don Hopkins played 85 games, accumulating 21 SBs, 25 Runs, and 1 hit in 8 PAs without a start for OAK in 75-76.
Allan Lewis, who, it seems, was more or less the prototype for Herb Washington, appeared in 156 games for (guess who?) KCA & OAK from 67-73, starting 3 times and totaling 21 career plate appearances while playing 10 career games in the outfield. He was 44 for 61 (72%) in SB attempts (Washington was 31 for 48, 65%).
Incidentally, Hopkins hit his only career HR in his first career start – a game which featured: over 4800 future managerial wins, the fathers of at least 5 future major leaguers, an IBB to Jay Johnstone, a 2 IP/2 ER outing from Dooley Womack (bringing his season ERA down to 15.00), and…Mickey Rivers.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL197009270.shtml
4th paragraph should start “Incidentally, Lewis…”
apologies
Reply to #31. I did a similar search and it would appear that Moschitto is the record holder. I searched using PA<1.45*G.
Since 1919, the only other non-pitcher to start his career with more consecutive sub appearances was Sam Leslie who made his first career start in his 138th career game.
I’ll see your Herb Washington and raise you a
Matt Alexander.
Seems the A’s collected these types. Alexander
started seven games in three years with Oakland from 75-77.
In those 3 years he appeared in 214 games and stole 67 bases. Scored 56 runs.
In 75 and 76 combined he had 2 hits in 40 AB.
No doubt being highly motivated 35 years ago, he broke out in 77 with 10 hits in 42 AB.
This was no flash in the pan.
Alexander went to Pittsburgh, and despite getting no AB in the 78 season. Alexander
would go on to bat .444 for the Pirates from 79-81.
He was 12 for 27.
On 5-19-10 there was a triple play and an IPHR in a game between the Mets and the Nationals. Angel Pagan of the Mets was involved in both plays. He hit an IPHR and started a triple play later in the game.
SABR actually has an entire website devoted to triple plays with lots of interesting information:
http://tripleplays.sabr.org/
The Twins are the only team to turn two triple plays in the same game, doing it against the Red Sox on July 17, 1990. The Sox still won the game, 1-0.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS199007170.shtml
Meanwhile, I now nominate Larry Hesterfer for the worst one game career ever. On September 5, 1901 he started for the Giants and went 6 innings, giving up 15 hits and 15 runs (“only” 6 earned). As a batter, he hit into a triple play!!!
Worst career nominations have to include Ron Wright, in his ONLY career game he struck out, grounded in to double play, and hit into a triple play while DH’ing.
Nice find Topper! And Mark McLemore pinch hit for Wright and struck out twice. Not a good day for Texas DHs. They still managed to score 7 runs as Sierra and Olerud went a combined 9-9.
Make that a bad day for Seattle DHs, and they scored 9 runs behind Sierra & Olerud.
I’d forgotten Sierra’s season with Seattle.
Right you are John! I just always associate Sierra with Texas and they were Seattle’s opponent that day.
David Letterman used that double-triple-play game for “Top 10 Things With the Same Statistical Probability as the Minnesota Twins Turning Two Triple Plays in the Same Game (July 19, 1990).”
10. First ball of the season hurled by President actually reaches catcher
without bouncing.
9. Falling meteor crushes Ebert, spares Siskel.
8. No one within two miles wearing a Simpsons T-shirt.
7. Farrakhan named B’nai Brith Man of the Year.
6. A really, really dumb guy becomes Vice-President.
5. The Zodiac Killer turns out to be Joan Lunden.
4. Watching VH-1 for a half hour and not seeing a Phil Collins video.
3. Watching VH-1 for a half hour.
2. President Tyson.
1. The Yankees making one double play.
Zing!
Ok, it may not be any sort of record, but Odell “Bad News” Hale hit into one of the most peculiar triple plays ever. Quoting from SABR’s “Biography Project”:
“…in a September 7, 1935, bases-loaded triple play against the Red Sox. Joe Cronin hit a screaming liner to third base, hit so hard that Hale couldn’t get his glove up in time. The ball hit off his forehead and, seeing the misplay, the runners took off. But the ball deflected into shortstop Knickerbocker’s glove; he threw to second base, where Roy Hughes stepped on the bag and threw to first, doubling up both baserunners.
Needless to say, any number of stories on the “that’s using your head” theme followed the triple play…”
OOPS, I meant that “Bad News” Hale WAS INVOLVED IN one of the most peculiar triple plays ever.
Just the usual 5-6-4-3 TP! (I think the fielding rules say he would get an assist on the play.)
And how about Scott Hatteberg, hitting into a triple play and later hitting a grand slam on 8/6/2001.
Cool, Ed!
Funny thing — after Hatteberg’s game-winning grand slam, Boston lost the next 16 games he appeared in; they were 8-6 in other games during that stretch.
@ Rogerbusby
Stole my comment.
There was very nearly a double no-hitter… a game between the Cubs and the Reds. Fred Toney and “Hippo” Vaughn matched zeroes for nine innings, before the Reds finally scratched out a single (and a run) off Vaughn in the tenth. Toney finished off the Cubbies in the home half to clinch his no-hit shutout.
There’s no boxscore, because it happened in the pre-retrosheet era, but I read about it in a book by Furman Bisher.
not listed yet pretty unusual 2 bases loaded triples in one game http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA197807272.shtml
This game featured Bobby Jones vs Bobby Jones with Bobby Jones getting the win and Bobby Jones getting the loss.
Hard to believe there was no Grand Slam in that game. 🙂
P.S. In that game, Todd Helton hit 2 HRs off Bobby J. Jones, which was about par for that matchup. In 27 career PAs vs. Jones, Helton went 16 for 25 with 5 HRs, 5 doubles, 2 walks and no strikeouts, for a 2.107 OPS. Easily the best numbers of any pitcher he faced more than 10 times.
In 1917, Hippo Vaughn of the Cubs and Fred Toney of the Reds each threw a no-hitter through nine innings. Vaughn lost the no-hitter, and the game, in the tenth.
On May 1, 1949 the starting battery for the Reds consisted of P Dixie Howell and C Dixie Howell.
Considering their real names were “Millard” and “Homer Elliot”, I can see why they went by Dixie instead.
Odd that the first Dixie Howell was also the only first-name Millard ever to play in the majors.
Meanwhile, the Homer log contains more than a few oddities, including:
– Homer Estell Ezzell
– Homer Hurd Davidson (Divvy)
– William Homer Harper (Blue Sleeve)
– Homer Harold Haworth, known as Howie, nicknamed Cully
– Homer Hiller Henry Hillebrand
Meanwhile there have been at least 11 players nicknamed Dixie. Original first names besides the aforementioned Homer and Millard include such gems as Dorsey, Gorham, Oland, and my personal favorite Ewart.
Reply to #30. Perhaps his great-grandfather was a Whig supporter.
Perhaps, but I Know-Nothing about that.
Since 1919, two games featured more than one player each with at least a double, triple and HR.
On June 20,1925 the Pirates shellacked the Brooklyn Robins 21-5. In that game Max Carey hit for the cycle while teammate Glenn Wright missed by only a single. Another teammate, Kiki Cuyler, missed the cycle by a double, although he did hit 2 home runs and was hit by a pitch.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT192506200.shtml
Almost 60 years later, two opposing first basemen almost matched the feat. On July 23, 1984, Willie Upshaw and Steve Balboni (!) both missed the cycle by a single in the same game. Both players’ contributions were significant in an exciting see-saw battle that the Royals held on to win 9-8.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198407231.shtml
The PI (which is missing some (a lot?) of IP – labels and games) has at least 10 multiple inside the park home run games since 1950. Some were covered by other commenters, but here’s the list that I got:
May 26, 1997: Sammy Sosa, Tony Womack (different teams)
October 4, 1986: Greg Gagne (2)
May 25, 1983: Krik Gibson, Jorge Orta (different teams)
May 14, 1980: Willie Wilson and Bucky Dent (different teams)
August 27, 1977: Tobby Harrah and Bump Wills (back to back)
June 18, 1976: Lou Brock and Hector Cruz
July 31, 1972: Dick Allen (2)
June 11, 1972: Manny Mota and Willie Davis
August 17, 1950: Pee Wee Reese and Sam Calderone (different teams)
August 16, 1950: Hank Thompson (2)
The game from August 17, 1950 was the second game of a double header, so the Dodgers-Giants games from those 2 days featured 4 IP-HR in 3 games, not 2 as it would appear.
O God of PI wizardry, how in the world are you finding this with the Play Index, or would you have to kill me after revealing your secrets?
I found 6 games in which both Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford each had an IPHR on the following dates:
8/27/09
8/1/11
6/11/13
9/12/16
7/15/09
7/19/12
Of course back then IPHRs were common so they may not qualify as a rare event.
Post #40: In the last 3 listed games Cobb hit 2 IPHRs in each while Crawford had none.
On 6/23/50 Hoot Evers hit a walk-off IPHR to give the Tigers a 10-9 victory over the Yankees.
Wikipedia gives some interesting IPHR trivia (of course it’s wikipedia so take it with a grain of salt):
*Ed Delahanty had a 4 home run game, 2 of which were inside the park
*Jimmy Sheckard hit inside the park grand slams on back to back days
*Pete Milne’s only career home run was an inside the park grand slam.
*Johnnie LeMaster (aka Johnny Disaster) hit an inside the park home run in his first major league plate appearance.
There have also been 9 inside the park home runs in the World Series with 1903 and 1916 featuring two each. Mule Haas in 1929 has the most recent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside-the-park_home_run
And according to Baseball Alamanac, Roger Bresnahan hit two in one game on May 30, 1902.
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_isphr.shtml
According to b-r bullpen, ALL of Delahanty’s four homers were IP.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Ed_Delahanty
Apparently “recent research” has revealed that only two of them were IP. Though how anyone could find that out is beyond me. Anyway, his SABR bio says two but I doubt we’ll ever know for sure:
http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/d835353d
When Ty Cobb won the triple crown in 1909 all nine of his HRs were IP. They part of a string of 13 consecutive IPHR spread out over 3 seasons. 49 of his 117 lifetime HRs were IP.
Cycles and no-hitters have never occurred in the same game. But there are some interesting proximate dates for these events.
– Oct 2, 1908 – Otis Clymer WSH cycle; Addie Joss CLE perfect game
– Apr 16, 1972 – Dave Kingman SFG cycle; Burt Hooton CHC no-hitter
– Week of Jul 2-8, 1970 – 3 cycles (Jul 2 Tony Horton CLE, Jul 6 Tommy Agee NYM, Jul 8 Jim Ray Hart SFG), 1 no-hitter (Jul 3 Clyde Wright CAL)
– Jun 29, 1990 – 2 no-hitters (Dave Stewart OAK, Fernando Valenzuela LAD)
– Sep 1, 2008 – 2 cycles (Stephen Drew ARI, Adrian Beltre SEA)
– Jul 26, 28 1991 – 1 no-hitter “equivalent” and 1 perfect game by same team in same series. Mark Gardner of Expos no-hit the Dodgers thru 9 innings on Jul 26 before losing no-hitter (and game) in 10th. Dennis Martinez had perfect game on Jul 28.
– Apr 13-17 2009, 3 cycles in 5 days (Apr 13 Orlando Hudson LAD, Apr 15 Ian Kinsler TEX, Apr 17 Jason Kubel MIN)
I can’t find proof of this, but I remember once reading about a 1-0 College World Series game where the loser pitched a no-hitter and the winner had a baserunner from a walk who eventually stole home.
I found it! It was a no hitter through 11 innings broken up in the 12th, then won 1-0 by stealing home. Even more remarkable was that the two pitchers in the epic duel were Ron Darling (Yale) and Frank Viola (St. John’s).
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Darling
On May 21, 1981, Darling faced future Mets teammate Frank Viola, then of St. John’s University, and had a no-hitter through 11 innings. In the 12th inning, St. John’s broke up the no-hitter and then scored on a double-steal to beat Darling 1–0. Darling’s performance remains the longest no-hitter in NCAA history, and the game is considered by some to be the best in college baseball history.
I think there’s a story about that game where an elderly Smokey Joe Wood was in attendance with the writer of the story. Problem is, I don’t remember who the writer was.
It was Roger Angell, originally written for New Yorker magazine and collected in one of the anthology books of Angell’s articles.
It was an extraordinary recollection of not only that game, but also of Smokey Joe Wood’s career. Then again, I think that Angell is probably the greatest baseball writer ever.
It amazes me how many folks had interesting replies to the question I posed and that Andy paraphrased. I guess, too, that I am a bit surprised that almost all answers and comments concerned TPs, IPHRs and hitting for the cycle, but almost nothing was said about stealing home and (suicide) squeezes. Is it the case, then, that old databases don’t deal with those issues, and one would have to go back to contemporary text-based game descriptions to find out about that?
Kenny, I remembered Stottlemyre’s inside the park grand slam from my childhood, but your post reminded me to look for steals of home. Apparently there are 11 games in which the same player stole home twice-the last one was on August 14, 1958 by Vic Power. What was especially interesting is that Power wasn’t a speed guy. He stole only three bases then entire 1958 season-two of home that day.
Power’s 2nd steal of home was a game-winner.
In 1973, Phil Niekro threw a no-hitter in a game in which Paul Casanova hit an inside-the-park HR. It was the third MLB game that I ever attended. I was 10.