Ron Hansons triple play

On July 30, 1968, Washington Senators shortstop Ron Hansen pulled off one of baseball’s rarest and most difficult feats when he turned an unassisted triple play against the Cleveland Indians. This diamond rarity took place at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland during the bottom of the first inning after leadoff hitter Dave Nelson singled and Russ Snyder followed that up with a walk. The next batter, catcher Joe Azcue, worked the count to three balls and two strikes off Senators pitcher Bruce Howard. With both runners moving on the pitch, Howard delivered the ball to Azcue, who laced a line drive between Hansen and second base. Ron took a step to his left and snagged the ball out of the air. With his momentum carrying him toward second, he stepped on the bag to double up Nelson. Hansen then ran towards Snyder, who was caught in no man’s land between first and second base, tagging him for the third out. It was the first unassisted triple play in the major leagues in 41 years. Hansen later donated his glove and the ball from that historic play to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

When speaking to a reporter after the game, the modest Hansen remarked, “It was one of the best plays I’ve ever made in terms of all of the putouts, but it wasn’t that difficult, in fact it was made to order. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

Googled . It was unassisted, so it interested me.