I've previously mentioned how much I like the little stats shown on the mobile version of ESPN.com. Recently, they noted that Prince Fielder was the first guy since 1954 to be involved in a triple play and walk-off homer in the same game. That would be this game in which Fielder received a throw at first base as part of a triple play and hit the game-winning homer in the 12th inning.

I was curious to find that 1954 game so I started with a team batting even finder to find all walk-off homers that year:

   Yr#    G# Date          Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-------+---+-------------+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
       1   1 1954-04-13    Mickey Vernon     WSH  NYY Allie Reynolds    tied   3-3  b10 1--   1  -        2 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Yost Scores
       2   1 1954-04-18(2) Jackie Jensen     BOS  PHA Moe Burtschy      tied   3-3  b13 ---   0  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
       3   1 1954-04-19    Eddie Yost        WSH  PHA Art Ditmar        tied   3-3  b 9 ---   0  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
       4   1 1954-04-24    Wally Post        CIN  CHC John Pyecha       down   3-5  b 9 12-   2  -        3 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Bell Scores; Temple Scores
       5   1 1954-05-12    Bobby Hofman      NYG  CIN Harry Perkowski   down   0-1  b 9 1--   1  -        2 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run (Deep LF Line); Samford Scores
       6   1 1954-05-16(2) Ray Boone         DET  BOS Frank Sullivan    tied   8-8  b14 ---   2  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
       7   1 1954-06-09    Jim Greengrass    CIN  PIT Max Surkont       tied   3-3  b 9 ---   1  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
       8   1 1954-06-11    Eddie Miksis      CHC  NYG Marv Grissom      tied   4-4  b10 ---   0  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
       9   1 1954-06-15    Hank Thompson     NYG  CIN Jackie Collum     down   2-3  b 9 12-   2  -        3 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Gardner Scores; Lockman Scores
      10   1 1954-06-19    Hoot Evers        NYG  STL Joe Presko        tied   2-2  b 9 12-   1  -        3 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run (Fly Ball to LF Line); Irvin Scores; Gomez Scores
      11   1 1954-06-30    Bill Wilson       PHA  WSH Connie Marrero    tied   7-7  b 9 ---   2  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
      12   1 1954-07-05(2) Harvey Kuenn      DET  CLE Don Mossi         tied   0-0  b11 ---   1  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
      13   1 1954-07-09    Roy Campanella    BRO  PHI Murry Dickson     tied   5-5  b10 1--   1 0-0   1   2 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Furillo Scores
      14   1 1954-07-16    Irv Noren         NYY  BAL Joe Coleman       tied   2-2  b 9 ---   2  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
      15   1 1954-07-19    Hobie Landrith    CIN  NYG Al Corwin         tied   0-0  b12 ---   1  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
      16   1 1954-07-19(1) Mickey Owen       BOS  BAL Mike Blyzka       down   5-7  b 9 123   2  -        4 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Maxwell Scores; Piersall Scores; Williams Scores
      17   1 1954-07-22(1) Mickey Mantle     NYY  CHW Don Johnson       tied   3-3  b10 ---   2  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run
      18   1 1954-08-04    Jackie Robinson   BRO  STL Tom Poholsky      down   6-7  b 9 1--   1 0-1   2   2 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Gilliam Scores
      19   1 1954-08-04    Jerry Lynch       PIT  CIN Frank Smith       down   2-3  b 9 1--   2  -        2 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Skinner Scores
      20   1 1954-08-08    Jim Delsing       DET  NYY Johnny Sain       tied   8-8  b10 1--   1  -        2 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Wilson Scores
      21   1 1954-08-13    Del Crandall      MLN  CHC Jim Davis         tied   2-2  b 9 12-   1  -        3 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run; Adcock Scores; Logan Scores
      22   1 1954-08-27    Ted Kluszewski    CIN  PIT Max Surkont       tied   2-2  b 9 ---   0  -        1 *ENDED GAME*:Home Run

By clicking on the date of each game I found out that it was the very last one that year that featured the triple play. In that game, Kluszewski did exactly what Fielder did--fielded a triple play at first base and later hit a walk-off homer.

I wonder if the 1954 Reds has as much fun as the 2009 Brewers did with Fielder's home run. Check out the fanfare on MLB.com.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at 7:48 am and is filed under Event Finders. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.