Weekend warrior achieves rare feat for Cubs

A HUMBLE Cairns baseballer has achieved a feat rarer than a hat-trick in cricket, completing an unassisted triple play in a game at Trinity Beach last weekend.

Cubs weekend warrior Col Henderson was fielding at shortstop during a Division 3 game against Reds on Sunday afternoon when he abruptly ended the batting team’s inning, catching a line drive, tagging second base for a forceout and then tagging the runner from first base.

The junior coach was pre- sented with the game ball after the match, with the umpire inscribing it with details of his incredible effort and the date.

“It’s something I’ll take straight to the pool room,” Henderson, 52, said.

“I didn’t realise I had even done it, to be honest. I don’t often field at shortstop.

“There were runners on first and second. I jumped for the catch because it was going over my head, tagged the bag straight away and then the runner at first was standing at second (base).

“It really shouldn’t have happened if the runner on first hadn’t have run.”

Henderson said teammates and players had since congratulated him but added his children were still playing hardball.

“I’ve certainly gloated to them because they’re much better players than I am,” he said. “I keep bragging to them but they just ignore me.”

In the history of Major League Baseball in the United States, only 15 players have fielded an unassisted triple play.

The feat is considered statistically rarer than the hallowed perfect game for a pitcher.

“Even a triple play is pretty rare but an unassisted triple play is almost unheard of,” Henderson said.