How is an unassisted triple play accomplished in baseball?
Dear Cecil: I have three baseball questions, one technical, one historical, and one theoretical. (1) The record books credit about a dozen players with unassisted triple plays. How, exactly, is this done? (2) Has any team ever made nine double plays or more in a game? (3) Which is more elegant, a perfect game accomplished in 27 pitches, each batter hitting into an out, or one accomplished in 81 strikes, giving the position players nothing to do at all? (Warning: Roger Angell himself refused to answer this question.) — Peter D., Chicago Cecil replies: Roger is a good fellow, Pete, but when it comes to fine moral judgments, you’d best stick with Unca Cecil. Let’s take your questions in order: (1) In your “typical” unassisted triple play (there have been only eight or so in major league history), you’ve got men on first and second. The batter hits a hard shot to either (a) the shortstop or second baseman, who catches it to put out the batter, touches second, retiring the lead runner, and
