Presented by BACON BOISE.
This Day In Sports…June 25, 1976, 50 years ago today:
Toby Harrah starts both games of a doubleheader for the Texas Rangers against the Chicago White Sox, and he becomes the first shortstop in major league history to go an entire twin bill without a fielding chance. Harrah was not quiet at the plate, though, as he went 6-for-8 in the first game and won it with a walk-off grand slam in an 8-4 Rangers’ victory. In the nightcap, Harrah knocked in three runs, including a two-run homer (but the White Sox won 14-9).
Here are some other big league fielding anomalies—good and bad. In 2021, Cubs infielder (and former Boise Hawk) Javier Báez pulled off one of the most brilliant baits of a defense in baseball history. With a runner on second, Báez hit a slow roller to third. It looked like an easy inning-ending out. But on his way to first, Báez back-pedaled toward home plate, drawing first baseman Will Craig away from the bag. Craig chased him down the line and tossed the ball to the plate. One throwing error later, teammate Willson Contreras (another former Hawk) had scored, and Báez was standing on second.
In 1999, New York Yankees pitcher Orlando “El Duque” Hernández made one of the best improvisational fielding plays ever. In a Subway Series game against the Mets, Hernández stopped a comebacker off the bat of Rey Ordónez, but the ball was wedged into the webbing of his glove. Unable to dislodge it, Hernández just hurled everything—glove, ball and all—to first baseman Tino Martinez for the out.
One of the most infamous fielding gaffes in major league history came in 1993, courtesy of Jose Canseco of the Texas Rangers. Canseco, playing rightfield, misjudged a long fly ball by Cleveland’s Carlos Martinez—and it infamously bounced off the crown of his head and over the fence for a home run. Three days later, Canseco would pitch in mop-up of a blowout loss in Boston and hurt his arm, having to undergo Tommy John surgery. An unfortunate turn of events for Canseco.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
