The Pecan Park Eagle

Infrequent: Two Big League Triples in the Same Inning of the Same Game by a Single Player

Curt Walker: In 1926, he became one of the few to ever hit 2 triples in the same inning of the same game.

Hard as they are to come by in today’s game, triples remain as one of the most exciting plays to watch in baseball. As a fan, you spend as much time watching the outfielder chasing down a skipping, angling, escaping baseball as you do the gazelle on the loose as he tears around the bases. It’s even more fun sometimes, when the ball is really headed for a lonely area, but the runner is hardly faster than a snapping turtle. – And then, sometimes, here comes the beautiful rifle-shot throw and close play tag at third, as we all wait for the roaring sound or extended hands vision of the umpire finally signaling “SAFE!” – Then comes our gasping belch of climaxing excitement. – What a deal! – Who in their right mind could ever deny the excitement of our great game of baseball? – It has to be someone who has never witnessed a run and gun play on the sliding triple!

As for the rarity of these beauties, they are even rarer as list of major league pitchers who have ever managed to hit two triples in the same inning of a single game. Whereas, 58 MLB players have managed to hit two home runs in the same inning of a single game (32 in the NL and 26 in the AL), only 9 MLB players ever have managed to hit two triples in the same inning of a single game (7 in the NL and 2 in the AL). The number for same-inning triples in a single game by the same player swells to 11 if we add the two 19th century American Association players who did it.

Jeff Bagwell made the double homer in the same inning list on June 24th of his great, but sadly shortened 1994 year, and my dad’s old buddy and mentor, Texas Baseball Hall of Famer Curt Walker, made the NL two triples in one inning in one game by a single player list in 1926 in a game he played for the Cincinnati Reds against the Boston Braves.

Here’s the 2-homers in one inning by a single player list for big league batters:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=two_homers_inning

And here’s the 2-triples in one inning by a single player list for big league batters, including the two 19th century American Association guys. I think the list is accurate, but it wasn’t made easy for me as the home run mark was. – If you know of or find any players I missed, I will be grateful, not embarrassed to hear from you. I’m really not expecting anything, but I’m almost certain there could not be many, if any, others who have pulled off this most amazing feat:

American Association (2)

Harry Wheeler (1882)                                                                                                                                                                                                  Harry Stovey (1884)

American League (2)

Al Zarilla (1946)                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Gil Coan (1951)

National League (7)

Joe Hornung (1882)                                                                                                                                                                                                      Heinie Peltz (1895)                                                                                                                                                                                                         Frank Shugart (1895)                                                                                                                                                                                                   Buck Freeman (1900)                                                                                                                                                                                                       Bill Dahlen (1900)                                                                                                                                                                                                            Curt Walker (1926)                                                                                                                                                                                                        Cory Sullivan (2006)

At this writing, an American Leaguer has not pulled off the two-triples-in-one-inning trick in 62 years, and, when Cory Sullivan of the Colorado Rockies last did it in 2006, it was the first time in 80 years since National Leaguer Curt Walker slammed two triples in one inning against the Braves.

It is, indeed, a beautiful rare bird we speak of here, friends.

It would undoubtedly take some kind of Divine Intervention for the following play to work in your club’s favor. Maybe a few “Angels in the Outfield” could make it happen.

Freaky: Is it possible for a team to hit two triples, two doubles, and two singles in the same inning of one game – without scoring a run? Of course, it is.

I found this undocumented example from an unidentified college game as the proof, but that matters not here. What that writer described for us is theoretically possible, even if it is actually the most improbable result for that kind of six-hit production in a single frame.

Here’s how the writer described it working:

(1) (2) The first two batters in this “college game” were thrown out at the plate as they tried to stretch triples into inside-the-park home runs.

inning status: 2 triples, two outs, no base runners, no runs.

(3) The third batter hits safely; stops safely at 2nd base with a double into the gap.

inning status: 2 triples, 1 double, a runner on 2nd, two outs, no runs.

(4) The fourth batter also hits a double into the gap, but the runner at second trips rounding third base and has to crawl back to that base to avoid being retired as the last out of the inning.

 inning status: 2 triples, 2 doubles, runners on 2nd and 3rd, two outs, no runs.

(5) The fifth batter lashes a sharp single to shallow left, but a quick, strong throw to the plate keeps the hobbled runner at third base from scoring.

inning status: 2 triples, 2 doubles, 1 single, bases loaded, two  outs, no runs.

(6) The sixth batter is awarded a single when the batted ball strikes the runner going from 2nd to third base, but that play also causes the struck runner to be out, removing the force play opportunity for a scored run and ending the inning.

final inning status: 2 triples, 2 doubles, 2 singles, bases loaded, but the side retired with three outs, and no runs scored.

That’s it for now. Hope you all score a little peace and joy on this restful Sunday!

Tags: baseball curiosities

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