Fragmentsofme
12-05-2003, 11:42 AM
Glad to see we finally won something:D
Fans are filled with delight every time they go to the ballpark and are privy to witness the excellence of a no-hitter or the majesty of a perfect game.
But those few individuals, who have ever viewed a Major League game in which an unassisted triple play has been turned, are truly the privileged ones. For they have witnessed what is truly one of baseball's greatest gems.
So, when it came time for fans to vote for the "Play of the Year" in MLB.com's "This Year in Baseball Wards," it came as no surprise that the majority of them chose Rafael Furcal's unassisted triple play, which he turned against the Cardinals on Aug. 10.
The memorable and now award-winning play marked just the 12th time in Major League history (11th in a regular season game) that an unassisted triple play was turned. The Braves hadn't turned one since Eddie Padgett did it on Oct. 6, 1923 against Philadelphia.
"I'm very happy because this is something I might not be able to do again," Furcal said on that August evening. "You don't get to see that kind of play every day."
Furcal's acrobatic leaping grab of a Woody Williams liner, which began the historical sequence, was good enough to merit "Play of the Year" consideration. But the speedy shortstop's feet made the play one that will forever exist in baseball lore.
After Furcal caught Williams' liner, Braves second baseman Marcus Giles yelled for Furcal to throw the ball to him at second base. "He said, 'Give me the ball, give me the ball,'" Furcal said in reference to Giles. "I said, 'No, I've got a chance to make it myself.'"
And make it, he did by stepping on second base to retire Mike Matheny and then gracefully running to tag Orlando Palmeiro. Both runners were in motion on a hit-and-run that was called by Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa.
"More guts than brains," said LaRussa, who was among the many at Busch Stadium to be left with a dropped jaw after Furcal completed the play.
Furcal actually manufactured the situation by not covering second base right away after pitcher Horacio Ramirez had fielded a Palmeiro sacrifice bunt attempt and threw to a vacant bag. Three pitches later, Williams hit the line drive that turned historic.
"With Vinny (Braves third baseman Vinny Castilla) charging on the bunt, I started to go to cover third," Furcal said. "I just didn't get back. But I make a mistake and then we turn a triple play. So everything is all right."
Fans are filled with delight every time they go to the ballpark and are privy to witness the excellence of a no-hitter or the majesty of a perfect game.
But those few individuals, who have ever viewed a Major League game in which an unassisted triple play has been turned, are truly the privileged ones. For they have witnessed what is truly one of baseball's greatest gems.
So, when it came time for fans to vote for the "Play of the Year" in MLB.com's "This Year in Baseball Wards," it came as no surprise that the majority of them chose Rafael Furcal's unassisted triple play, which he turned against the Cardinals on Aug. 10.
The memorable and now award-winning play marked just the 12th time in Major League history (11th in a regular season game) that an unassisted triple play was turned. The Braves hadn't turned one since Eddie Padgett did it on Oct. 6, 1923 against Philadelphia.
"I'm very happy because this is something I might not be able to do again," Furcal said on that August evening. "You don't get to see that kind of play every day."
Furcal's acrobatic leaping grab of a Woody Williams liner, which began the historical sequence, was good enough to merit "Play of the Year" consideration. But the speedy shortstop's feet made the play one that will forever exist in baseball lore.
After Furcal caught Williams' liner, Braves second baseman Marcus Giles yelled for Furcal to throw the ball to him at second base. "He said, 'Give me the ball, give me the ball,'" Furcal said in reference to Giles. "I said, 'No, I've got a chance to make it myself.'"
And make it, he did by stepping on second base to retire Mike Matheny and then gracefully running to tag Orlando Palmeiro. Both runners were in motion on a hit-and-run that was called by Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa.
"More guts than brains," said LaRussa, who was among the many at Busch Stadium to be left with a dropped jaw after Furcal completed the play.
Furcal actually manufactured the situation by not covering second base right away after pitcher Horacio Ramirez had fielded a Palmeiro sacrifice bunt attempt and threw to a vacant bag. Three pitches later, Williams hit the line drive that turned historic.
"With Vinny (Braves third baseman Vinny Castilla) charging on the bunt, I started to go to cover third," Furcal said. "I just didn't get back. But I make a mistake and then we turn a triple play. So everything is all right."