Triple

From BR Bullpen

A triple, also called a three-base hit and abbreviated 3B, is a base hit that allows the batter to reach third base without the benefit of an error

A triple is also awarded when a player is thrown out at home plate trying for an inside-the-park home run. The triple is the least common of all hits and often the most difficult part of hitting for the cycle. Players who hit a lot of triples are usually speedsters who can take advantage of a batted ball finding a gap between outfielders and rolling all the way to the fence. The number of triples hit is also affected by the configuration of the ballpark: a park with a large outfield area and a distant fence will be more conducive to hitting triples that a bandbox.

Researchers have demonstrated that the fall in the number of triples hit over the years is directly correlated to the decrease of ballpark size: whereas it was once common for ballparks to have a centerfield fence 450 or more feet from home plate, the absolute maximum now is 420 feet. The fall in triples hit tracks the decrease in average outfield size.

All Time Leaders
Span Player Total Notes
Career Sam Crawford 309  
Season Owen Wilson 36 1912
Game Bill Joyce 4 May 18, 1897
Game George Strief 4 June 25, 1885
NPB Career Yutaka Fukumoto 115  
NPB Season Masayuki Kaneda 18 1912
Minors Career Joe Riggert 228  
Minors Season Jack Cross 32 1925
AAGPBL Career Eleanor Callow 60  
AAGPBL Season Betty Foss 17 1952

Further Reading[edit]

  • Theo Tobel: "The Mystery of the Disappearing Three-Bagger", Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 51, Number 2 (Fall 2022), pp. 48-51.