Neal Ball Turns the First Unassisted Triple Play in Modern Baseball

On July 19, 1909, Cleveland Naps shortstop Neal Ball caught a line drive off the bat of Amby McConnell, stepped on second base to retire Heinie Wagner, and tagged Jake Stahl coming from first to complete the first unassisted triple play in modern major league history. The play came in the second inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox at League Park in Cleveland.

Ball had entered the game as an ordinary shortstop on a middling Cleveland roster. Wagner was on second and Stahl on first when McConnell lined a pitch toward the middle of the diamond. Ball snagged the ball on a short hop or in the air, depending on the account, and from there the play unfolded in a few seconds. He stepped on second to double off Wagner, who had broken toward third on contact, then turned and tagged Stahl, who was caught between first and second.

The rarity of the play stunned the crowd and the players. An unassisted triple play requires a precise alignment of baserunners, batted ball, and fielder positioning that almost never occurs. In the 115 years since Ball's feat, only 14 more unassisted triple plays have been recorded in the major leagues.

Ball added to his afternoon by hitting a home run, the only one he hit all season, as Cleveland won 6-1. The winning pitcher was Cy Young, who was 42 years old and in his next-to-last season. Young threw a complete game, allowing just five hits to his former team. He had pitched for the Red Sox from 1901 through 1908 before being traded to Cleveland.

Ball himself was a journeyman who played seven seasons in the majors, batting .251 with little power. His career would be largely forgotten without the afternoon of July 19, 1909, when he found himself in precisely the right place at the right moment and converted one swing of the bat into three outs. It remains one of the rarest defensive gems in baseball history.