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Baseball Trivia (General)/Which More Rare: 3-Pitch Inning or Perfect Game?

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Expert: - 2/11/2011


Question
I have always heard that the three pitch is the rarest thing to happen in all of baseball.  But last season I heard an color analyst say the rarest thing was a perfect game.

Can you tell me how they two compare? or which is the rarest?

Answer
Jim,

The perfect game would be far, far more rare. There have only been 20 of those in baseball history, and there have been quite a few more 3-pitch innings, and our records on those are not even complete.

See: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~rickert/BB/threepitchinning.html and http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/3_pitch_inning.shtml

List of perfect games at: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=perfect_game  

Baseball Trivia (General)

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Tom Schott

Expertise

I will deal with the major leagues only from 19th century to present. I`m good on baseball history, records, statistics, ballparks. I don't do off-the-field stuff. Please if you already know the answer to the question, please don't ask it. I don't want to play "stump the expert."

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I've written on the subject, and I have substantial library of resources.

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SABR

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Numerous encyclopedia, newspaper, magazine articles. One book, several book chapters.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in American history.

Awards and Honors
Bevy of writing awards.

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