Who Has the Only Unassisted Triple Play in World Series History?

If you’re a baseball fan, you know how rare and exciting a triple play is. But have you ever heard of an unassisted triple play

It’s even more rare – only 15 players in Major League Baseball history have accomplished this feat. And only one player has done it in the World Series.

The Player:

The player who achieved the only unassisted triple play in World Series history is Bill Wambsganss. He played second base for the Cleveland Indians during the 1920 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The Game:

It was game five of the series, and tensions were high. The Indians were up 7-0 in the top of the 5th inning when Dodger’s batter Clarence Mitchell hit a line drive toward Wambsganss. Wambsganss caught the ball for the first out.

But what happened next was unexpected. Pete Kilduff, who was on second base, had started running on contact and was now caught between second and third base. Ivan Olson, who was on first base, had also started running but hadn’t made it to second yet.

As luck would have it, Wambsganss ran towards second base to tag Kilduff before he could get back to safety. But as he approached second base, Olson kept running towards him.

Wambsganss saw his opportunity and tagged Olson with his glove while stepping on second base for a force-out – all while still holding onto the ball he caught earlier for out number one.

The Aftermath:

The crowd erupted into cheers as they realized what had just happened – an unassisted triple play in the World Series! The feat was so rare that even Wambsganss himself didn’t realize he had accomplished it until he saw the reactions of his teammates and the crowd.

The Indians went on to win the game 8-1, and eventually won the series 5-2. But for Wambsganss, the unassisted triple play was the highlight of his career.

The Legacy:

Since Wambsganss’ historic play in 1920, no player has achieved an unassisted triple play in the World Series. In fact, it’s only happened a handful of times in all of baseball history.

But for those lucky few who have accomplished this feat, they will forever be remembered as part of baseball’s elite group of players. And for Bill Wambsganss, he will always be remembered as the only player to achieve an unassisted triple play in World Series history.

  • Key Takeaways:
    • Only 15 players in MLB history have achieved an unassisted triple play
    • Bill Wambsganss is the only player to achieve an unassisted triple play in World Series history
    • Wambsganss accomplished this feat during game five of the 1920 World Series
    • No player has achieved an unassisted triple play in the World Series since Wambsganss’ historic play

If you’re a baseball fan, this is a moment that will go down in history. And even if you’re not a fan, you can appreciate the rarity and excitement that comes with such a momentous occasion.