The Braves turned a triple play in manner last seen in the majors 139 years ago

Baseball is a game for history lovers.

It’s fun to compare stats of players from different eras and, say, see the list of names of all the pitchers who have thrown a perfect game.

Fans got a history lesson on Tuesday night when the Atlanta Braves turned a triple play thanks to some bad base running by the Boston Red Sox.

Boston had runners on first and second in the third inning when Triston Casas lofted a fly to center field, which the Braves’ Michael Harris II caught.

For some reason, Boston’s Adam Duvall took off from first and scampered back to the bag. Duvall was too late as Harris’ throw to Matt Olson got the second out. Boston’s Masataka Yoshida then bolted from second base and was easily thrown out at third base.

This was an 8-3-5 double play.

The Society for American Baseball Research said it was only the second 8-3-5 double play in Major League Baseball history (American League/National League). The other came on June 7, 1884 when the Boston Beaneaters got three outs on one play.

The SABR Triple Play database has all the details.

In that game against the Providence Grays, Boston’s Jim Manning was in center field and threw to first baseman “Honest John” Morrill, whose throw to third baseman Ezra Sutton completed the triple play in the fifth inning.

The Grays’ Sandy Nava was the batter, Cliff Carroll was at first base and Jerry Denny was at second.

This is from a SABR story about the game, which noted the triple play: “’Immediately there was the wildest excitement and confusion,’ the (Boston) Globe reported. Men threw their hats in the air, women flashed smiles and waved handkerchiefs, and everyone carried on joyfully.”

Historical notes

The Boston Beaneaters later moved to Milwaukee and then Atlanta. The franchise’s nickname has changed a few times and they are known today as ... the Braves. That means the Braves are the only franchise to turn an 8-3-5 triple play and they’ve done it twice.

Providence ended up beating the New York Metropolitans of the American Association in the first postseason tournament in baseball history, per SABR. It is known as the first “World Series.”

Manning, who started that triple play in 1884, later played in Kansas City with the Cowboys of the American Association. Manning played just the 1889 season in KC. The Cowboys’ home games were at Exposition Park.

Later, Manning played for the Kansas City Blues and managed the team, per a SABR biography.

As for the game when the triple play was turned, there was another noteworthy event that day, as SABR noted.

Providence pitcher Charlie Sweeney set a major-league record with 19 strikeouts.