Kansas City Diamond Specials

Three Outs for the Price of One

Four different Kansas City teams (from three major leagues) have treated their fans to six triple plays at four different ballparks.

From a historical perspective, it is of interest to revisit the special feats (in batting, pitching, and fielding) achieved by the various baseball clubs that have called Kansas City “home.” In this article, we focus on a category of fielding — specifically, the ultimate rally-killing event — the triple play.

Kansas City served as home base for six teams from five distinct major leagues: 1) the Unions of the Union Association, 1884; 2) the Cowboys of the National League, 1886; 3) the Blues of the American Association, 1888-1889; 4) the Packers of the Federal League, 1914-1915; 5) the Athletics of the American League, 1955-1967; 6) the Royals of the American League, 1969-present. As it has turned out, all but the first two Kansas City franchises have treated their fans to a home-field three-ply special.

July 7, 1888

The Stage: On this date in their inaugural AA campaign, the Blues hosted the Baltimore Orioles at Association Park. In the 9th inning, Kansas City held a 13-8 lead. But the visitors proceeded to load the bases with nobody out — Tommy Tucker stood on first; Sam Trott occupied second; and Jack Farrell held third. Billy Shindle was in the batter’s box awaiting the slants of the Blues’ hurler, Phil Ehret.

The Play: Shindle hit a grounder to shortstop Frank Hankinson, who fielded the ball to first sacker Bill Phillips to retire the batter. On this routine play, the runners each moved up a base, Farrell scoring. However, Trott also tried to race home; he was doubled up at the plate on a peg from the number-three infielder to catcher Jim Donahue. And, while the second out was being recorded, Tucker attempted to advance to the third station. He was nailed there when the backstop whipped the leather to the number five infielder, Jumbo Davis, who tagged him for the game-ending out. The scoring went 6-3-2-5.

July 24, 1915

The Stage: In the middle of the second and final season of the Federal League, the Buffalo Blues were the guests of the Kansas City Packers at Gordon and Koppel Field. At the end of the regulation nine innings, the winning team had not yet been decided. In the top of the 10th session, with the score deadlocked 2-2, the Blues mounted a threat. Clyde Engle and Solly Hofman connected for back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners. Walter Blair was at the plate swinging the lumber. On the hill for the Packers was Norm Cullop.

The Play: Blair grounded the pitch to the hot corner man George Pering, who gloved it and fired the horsehide to keystoner Bill Kenworthy who stepped on the middle bag to force out Hofman. Next, he relayed the sphere to first baseman George Stovall who toed the initial station to complete the around-the-horn double play. While the twin killing was in progress, Engle (who initially had to hold close to third) mad a dash for the plate. He didn’t make it, being cut down on a peg from the primary sacker to catcher Ted Easterly. The scoring was 5-4-3-2.

NOTE: In spite of having their 10th-inning rally thwarted by a triple play, the visitors emerged with the triumph, 3-2.

September 4, 1966

The Stage: Near the end of their penultimate season in Kansas City, the AL Athletics were engaged in an old-fashioned (originally scheduled) Sunday double header at Municipal Stadium with the visiting Boston Red Sox. The Crimson Hose, who had already taken the lid-lifter, opened the after-piece by getting their first three men on base. Rico Petrocelli led off with a single, and Joe Foy and Don Demeter drew walks from the A’s starting hurler, Gil Blanco. That brought clean-up hitter Tony Conigliaro to the plate with the bases loaded.

The Play: Tony C. ripped into the pitch, but he managed to only hit a soft, low liner to shortstop Bert Campaneris who fielded the ball on the hop. The number-six infielder then tossed the ball to second baseman Dick Green, who stepped on the keystone sack to force out Demeter. Next, the number-four infielder relayed the ball to first baseman Tim Talton to complete the doubly play. Meanwhile, Petrocelli (who had held up at third in case Campy caught the ball in the air) got a late start in his run for home. He was retired on a throw from the first sacker to catcher Phil Roof. The scoring went 6-4-3-2.

Inspired by their first-inning fielding heroics, the Athletics — who also pulled three double plays — proceeded to carve out a 7-2 victory and gain a split in the twin-bill.

July 4, 1988

The Stage: Just three days before the 100th anniversary of the very first Kansas City triple play, the Kansas City Royals (in the middle of their 20th season in the junior circuit) treated the home-team fans to a three-outs-for-the-price-of-one-special. The visiting Boston Red Sox found Royals Stadium to their liking, having built up a 6-2 lead going into the top of the 4th. The BoSox continued their attack as Mike Greenwell and Ellis Burks opened the stanza with consecutive singles, putting men on second and first. That brought up Jim Rice to take his cuts at the offerings of Rick Anderson.

The Play: Rice smashed a sinking liner to center field. The drive had “base hit” written all over it. But the number-eight flyhawk, Willie Wilson, charged in and caught it with a spectacular lunging effort. The runners, who thought the ball would fall safely, were motoring at full throttle around the bases. Were easily doubled and tripled up when the center fielder threw the ball to second baseman Frank White who, after stepping on the keystone to retire Greenwell, tossed the sphere to first baseman George Brett to nail Burks. The score went 8-4-3.

While the Kansas City triple play was the feature of the game, the end result was a BoSox triumph, 9-2.

May 14, 1994

The Stage: With the ballpark having been recently renamed Kauffman Stadium to honor the memory of the founder of the Kansas City Royals, the Oakland Athletics were in town as guests of the Royals. Trailing by a 2-1 score in the top of the third inning, the A’s had runners on first and second, Mike Aldrete and Stan Javier. Geronimo Berroa was in the batter’s box facing Kansas City’s Kevin Appier.

The Play: Berroa hit a sharp grounder to hot corner man Gary Gaetti who picked up the ball and stepped on third to force out Javier. The number-five infielder then rifled the sphere to second baseman Terry Shumpert who, after stepping on the middle station to force out Aldrete, zipped the leather to first baseman Wally Joyner to nab the batter and complete the classic around-the-horn triple play. The score was 5-4-3.

Concluding Remarks

A total of 18 Kansas City players have participated in the executions of the five triple slaughters in Kansas City. One of them, Gary Gaetti, has gained a unique position in the record book. The third baseman has taken part in seven triple plays — the most in Major League history for fielders at the hot corner position. The second ranking third sacker is Frank “Home Run” Baker with four triple plays.

Kansas City has disappointed its fans only twice by hitting into triple plays at home. The Royals were victimized once by the Angels in 1970 at Municipal Stadium and once by the Baltimore Orioles in 1977 at Royals Stadium. The bottom line in three-out-for-the-price-of-one specials in Kansas City is a net of plus-three for the home-team fans.

SABR members HERM KRABBENHOFT and JIM SMITH have collaborated to research and document every triple play executed in major league history. Over the past six years, they have published their findings in Baseball Quarterly Reviews. Currently, they are preparing “BQR presents The Triple Play Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball.”