The Greatest Single-Game Feat in Baseball

[Turd Ferguson]

There are three individual feats in baseball that rarely ever take place, but when they happen, it's a sight to behold. They're all big deals as well, as they've each only happened less than 20 times in the last 110 years. There is a great mix of skill and luck required here (one of them requires a great amount of luck), but in the end, these are all truly awesome performances.

The three feats we'll be talking about here:

Unassisted Triple Play: 15 times since 1900
4 HR's in a game: 13 times since 1900
Perfect Game: 16 times since 1900

Unassisted Triple Play:

Neal Ball Cleveland Naps SS July 19, 1909
Bill Wambsganss Cleveland Indians 2B October 10, 1920
George Burns Boston Red Sox 1B September 14, 1923
Ernie Padgett Boston Braves SS October 6, 1923
Glenn Wright Pittsburgh Pirates SS May 7, 1925
Jimmy Cooney Chicago Cubs SS May 30, 1927
Johnny Neun Detroit Tigers 1B May 31, 1927
Ron Hansen Washington Senators SS July 30, 1968
Mickey Morandini Philadelphia Phillies 2B September 20, 1992
John Valentin Boston Red Sox SS July 8, 1994
Randy Velarde Oakland Athletics 2B May 29, 2000
Rafael Furcal Atlanta Braves SS August 10, 2003
Troy Tulowitzki Colorado Rockies SS April 29, 2007
Asdrúbal Cabrera Cleveland Indians 2B May 12, 2008
Eric Bruntlett Philadelphia Phillies 2B August 23, 2009

4 HRs In A Game
June 3, 1932 Lou Gehrig New York Yankees AL Philadelphia Athletics 20-13
July 10, 1936 Chuck Klein Philadelphia Phillies NL Pittsburgh Pirates 9-6
July 18, 1948 Pat Seerey Chicago White Sox AL Philadelphia Athletics 12-11
August 31, 1950 Gil Hodges Brooklyn Dodgers NL Boston Braves 19-3
July 31, 1954 Joe Adcock Milwaukee Braves NL Brooklyn Dodgers 15-7[1]
June 10, 1959 Rocky Colavito Cleveland Indians AL Baltimore Orioles 11-8[2]
April 30, 1961 Willie Mays San Francisco Giants NL Milwaukee Braves 14-4[3]
April 17, 1976 Mike Schmidt Philadelphia Phillies NL Chicago Cubs 18-16[4]
July 6, 1986 Bob Horner Atlanta Braves NL Montreal Expos 8-11[5]
September 7, 1993 Mark Whiten St. Louis Cardinals NL Cincinnati Reds 15-2[6]
May 2, 2002 Mike Cameron Seattle Mariners AL Chicago White Sox 15-4[7]
May 23, 2002 Shawn Green Los Angeles Dodgers NL Milwaukee Brewers 16-3[8]
September 25, 2003 Carlos Delgado Toronto Blue Jays AL Tampa Bay Devil Rays 10-8[9]

Perfect Game:
AL

Mark Buehrle 07-23-2009 Chicago 5, Tampa Bay 0
David Cone 07-18-1999 New York 6, Montreal 0
David Wells 05-17-1998 New York 4, Minnesota 0
Kenny Rogers 07-28-1994 Texas 4, California 0
Mike Witt 09-30-1984 California 1, Texas 0
Len Barker 05-15-1981 Cleveland 3, Toronto 0
Catfish Hunter 05-08-1968 Oakland 4, Minnesota 0
Don Larsen 10-08-1956 New York 2, Brooklyn 0*
Charlie Robertson 04-30-1922 Chicago 2, Detroit 0
Addie Joss 10-02-1908 Cleveland 1, Chicago 0
Cy Young 05-05-1904 Boston 3, Philadelphia 0

NL

Randy Johnson 05-18-2004 Arizona 2, Atlanta 0
Dennis Martinez 07-28-1991 Montreal 2, Los Angeles 0
Tom Browning 09-16-1988 Cincinnati 1, Los Angeles 0
Sandy Koufax 09-09-1965 Los Angeles 1, Chicago 0
Jim Bunning 06-21-1964 Philadelphia 6, New York 0

To me, the greatest individual feat is a Perfect Game. The Unassisted Triple Play requires an infielder to be in the right place at the right time, and it requires so much luck. Four Home Runs in a game, if you're on a hot streak, and facing a team with bad pitching, you have an outside shot to do this. Don't get me wrong, it's VERY impressive, but not as impressive as a Perfect Game. For a Perfect Game, you can't walk one batter, which is much easier said than done. You need to go through 27 batters and get each one of them out. You also need t0 deal with the pressure, which is the duration of the game. The defense needs to be remarkable as well. Ask Jonathan Sanchez and Mark Buehrle. Sanchez lost his Perfect Game on an error. Dewayne Wise saved Buehrle's perfect game.

And when you think about it, that's why the Perfect Game is really the best of the three. Sure, the pitcher gets the credit for it, but it's really a TEAM effort. Without the defense, all it takes is one mishandled ball by a fielder to ruin the moment.

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

I agree with you Guy on the Perfecto being the hardest to do of the three. I could turn an unassisted triple play, all you need to do to complete that is be able to catch the ball, step on the base and throw it to another base. The hardest part about that would be keeping your cool and not throwing the ball away from being too excited.

Four homeruns in a single game is much harder and takes way more skill, but still has alot of luck that goes with it. Bad pitching is really to blame for someone getting 4 homers in a game.

The perfect game is by far the hardest feat to acheive in baseball. You have to be perfect throughout the entire game, no mistakes, and if you make a mistake your defense has to erase it for you or the perfecto is gone.

 

[The People's Peep]

its definitely not the unassisted triple play. that is just luck really. 4 HR's in a game is impressive, but not as much as a perfect game. it really shows how on one day, a pitcher can be perfect, and live on in baseball immortality forever.

what solidifies this choice for me is july 18, 1999. david cone's perfect game. i remember watching it when i was 8 years old. when scott brosius caught that pop up and david cone fell to his knees like so...

i knew something huge just happened. i didnt really understand what happened at that moment, but it was historic. and when the team lifted him up on their shoulders, it was just incredible. one of my favorite sports memories. i can guarantee that that wouldnt happen for a triple play or 4 HR game.

 

[TwistofRKO]

Without question the Pefect Game. While it also requires a high amount of luck, but it requires your best for a 3 hour duration.

The unassisted triple play is about being in the right place at the right time. Its not very difficult to complete once the situation is set up.

Hitting 4 HRs is stiff competition. There's nothing you can take away from the feat. However, hitting is contagious, and you don't have to be flawless over the course of the game. That's to say, for example, you can still strike out a few times, because obviously if you go yard 4 times, most likely you're going to have gotten up more than 4 times.

The Perfect game, like I already mentioned, requires plenty of luck. Unless you strike out 27 batters (and even then you need an error-less game from your catcher) you'll be relying on your defense, and praying that none of the balls put into play have eyes on them. However, you have to be great over the entire game. You have to be around the strike zone the entire game, you have to get up in the count to nearly ever hitter, and you have to control the game, for 27 outs. By far it requires the most consistency, and has the most difficult circumstances surrounding it.

 

[CH David]

I want to go against the grain, but I just can't. Not with this. The Perfect Game is the single greatest feat you can have in a game. Hands down. Quite simply, what do you get from the fans when you hit four homers in a game? A standing ovation? Hell, four homers in Chicago is possible if the wind is blowing out and the pitcher is having a bad day.

An Unassisted Triple Play is also fun to see happen, but also a very dangerous predicament to be in. Seriously, what infielder wishes that two batters start off an inning by getting on base, just so they can have a chance at a Triple Play? Well I highly doubt that happens as it is, because it is just one of those lucky plays, even if they have the batter scouted well. You get a great cheer and a spot on Top Plays, but that is it. You aren't really an "immortal" so to speak. The play is likely forgotten in a few weeks at the latest.

The Perfect Game however, that is a tricky sumbitch. To get a Perfecto, a lot of things need to go right. Pitches need to work, plays need to be made, and calls need to go your way. Defense can't lapse in the field, and in the later stages of the game, likely will be on top of their toes no matter what. Staying in the strike zone, as well as getting the hitters to swing at bad pitches in your favored counts. But once it is completed, it is celebrated and remembered likely for a long time, by fans, media, teams, you name it. The pitcher gets the credit for grinding through the whole game, and pitching his ass off, but it is a whole team effort, unless he throws 27 straight strikeouts, which would then be a game for the ages to witness, in my opinion anyway.