Rarest Feat In Sports: Remembering All 15 Unassisted Triple Plays In MLB History

There have only been 15 unassisted triple plays recorded in the history of Major League Baseball. Comparatively, there have been 24 perfect games thrown in MLB history. Here we remember all 15 of the rarest achievement in sports.

It is considered to be the single rarest feat in all of sports. Going outside of baseball, there have been 116 ‘perfect 10s’ awarded in Gymnastics, which isn’t anywhere close to as rare as an unassisted triple play.

We are currently in a 15+ year drought of unassisted triple plays in Major League Baseball. To match the all time drought streak, it would take another 26 years…

Recording a triple play requires a great deal of luck. In order for it to happen there must be runners in position and the batter has to basically hit the ball directly at the fielder. Of the 15 in history, 12 have come from a middle infielder.

The unassisted triple play has only happened 15 times in all of MLB history, most recently in 2009, and here they are from first to last.

1. Cleveland Naps SS Neal Ball, 7/19/1909

The first unassisted triple play in MLB history came on July 19, 1909. Shortstop Neal Ball of the Cleveland Naps in the American League made history with the first-ever unassisted triple play, against the Boston Red Sox, in the 2nd inning.

2. Cleveland Indians 2B Bill Wambsganss, 10/10/1920

Eleven years later, 2nd basemen Bill Wambsganss recorded the second unassisted triple play in MLB history but arguably the most historic, in my humble opinion. Bill Wambsganss had his unassisted triple play on October 10, 1920 while playing for the Cleveland Indians and it came in Game 5 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Robins. This is the only unassisted triple play in MLB history to be recorded in the World Series.

3. Red Sox 1B George Burns, 9/14/1923

Boston Red Sox first baseman George Burns would add his name to the history books three years later. He recorded the third instance in MLB history on September 14, 1923 while the Red Sox were playing the Cleveland Indians. his came in the second inning of the game.

4. Boston Braves SS Ernie Padgett, 10/6/1923

Boston Braves shortstop became the second SS in MLB history to accomplish the rarest feat in sports. His unassisted triple play came on October 6, 1923 in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, in the 4th inning.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates SS Glenn Wright, 5/7/1925

Less than two full years later, Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop became the third shortstop in MLB history achieve the unbelievable. Wright’s unassisted triple play came in the 9th inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. This was the first instance of the elusive play in the 9th inning but it was not, however, a game ending play.

6. Chicago Cubs SS Jimmy Cooner Jr., 5/30/1927

Two years later, Chicago Cubs shortstop Jimmy Cooney Jr. continued a run from shortstops achieving the feat when he recorded an unassisted triple play on May 30, 1927 in the 4th inning in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

7. Detroit Tigers 1B Johnny Neun, 5/31/1927

On May 31, 1927, just one day after Jimmy Cooney Jr’s 6th unassisted triple play in MLB history, Detroit Tigers first basemen Johnny Neun had one of his own. It was, in many ways, more significant as it became the first unassisted triple play in MLB history to occur as a game-ending play in the 9th inning. It was also just the second instance of a first basemen pulling off the rare feat.

8. Washington Senators SS Ron Hansen, 7/30/1968

After two unassisted triple plays in two days in May 1927, there was a LONG drought. The next wouldn’t occur for 15,036 days, or 41 years, 1 month, and 30 days. Washington Senators shortstop Ron Hansen broke the league’s drough on July 30, 1968 in the first inning in a game against the Cleveland Indians. Through 8 in MLB history, Cleveland had been involved in 5 of them. What are the odds of that?!

9. Philadelphia Phillies 2B Mickey Morandini, 9/20/1992

Jumping forward again, Major League Baseball wouldn’t see another unassisted triple play for 8,818 days, or 24 years, 1 month, and 21 days since Ron Hansen pulled it off in 1968. It was Philadelphia Phillies second basemen Mickey Morandini who snapped the drought on September 20, 1992 in the 6th inning during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with batter Jeff King at the plate.

10. Boston Red Sox SS John Valentin, 7/8/1994

After just two unassisted triple plays occurring between June 1, 1927 and September 20, 1992, the record books would only wait about two years for another. Boston Red Sox shortstop John Valentin recorded an unassisted triple play on July 8, 1994 in the 6th inning of a game against the Seattle Mariner with batter Marc Newfield at the plate.

11. Oakland Athletics SS Randy Velarde, 5/29/2000

It would be over a handful of years before the next one… On May 29, 2000, Oakland A’s shorstop Randy Velarde became the first player of the new millennium to record an unassisted triply play. He pulled it off in the 6th inning during a game against the New York Yankees with Shane Spencer, a player born in Key West, Florida of all places, at the plate.

12. Atlanta Braves SS Rafael Furcal, 8/10/2003

Three years later, Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal recorded an unassisted triple play of his own on August 10, 2003 in an NL matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals. Furcal’s play came in the 5th inning with Woody Williams at the plate.

13. Colorado Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki, 4/29/2007

Of all 15 unassisted triple plays in MLB history, this is the only one I remember watching live on TV at the time it occurred and not later through highlights. Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki completed the unthinkable in the 7th inning against the Atlanta Braves on April 29, 2007 with Baseball Hall of Famer and 8x All-Star Chipper Jones at the plate. You KNOW that one has stuck with Chipper over the years.

14. Cleveland Indians 2B Asdrubal Cabrera, 5/12/2008

One year later, Cleveland Indians second basemen Asdrubal Cabrera recorded an unassisted triple play in the 5th inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 12, 2008 with Lyle Overbay hitting into the rare feat.

15. Philadelphia Phillies 2B Eric Bruntlett, 8/23/2009

The “most recent” unassisted triple play, and I put that in air quotes because it is not recent at all, occurred on August 23, 2009 when Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur hit into the unassisted triply play against the Philadelphia Phillies and Eric Bruntlett achieved the unbelievable. This was a game-ending play in the 9th inning and the last time it occurred in Major League Baseball, a whopping 5813 days ago, or 15 years, 11 months, and 1 day ago.