Williamsport Bills (Eastern League) catcher Dave Bresnahan introduces a new wrinkle to baseball – the hidden potato. With a Reading runner‚ Rick Rudblad‚ on third base‚ Bresnahan returns from a time out with a shaved potato hidden in his mitt. On the next pitch he throws the potato wildly on a pickoff attempt. When the runner trots home‚ Bresnahan tags him out with the real ball. The umpire‚ unamused‚ rules the runner safe‚ gives the catcher an error‚ and fines him $50. Bresnahan replies‚ “I thought it’d be a do-over.”

August 31, 1987 This Day In Baseball

On August 31, 1987 — Williamsport Bills (Eastern League) catcher Dave Bresnahan introduces a new wrinkle to baseball – the hidden potato. With a Reading runner‚ Rick Rudblad‚ on third base‚ Bresnahan returns from a time out with a shaved potato hidden in his mitt. On the next pitch he throws the potato wildly on a pickoff attempt. When the runner trots home‚ Bresnahan tags him out with the real ball. The umpire‚ unamused‚ rules the runner safe‚ gives the catcher an error‚ and fines him $50. Bresnahan replies‚ “I thought it’d be a do-over.”

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Sources:
Baseball Reference August 31
National Pastime August 31
Retro Sheet
Hall of Fame
SABR Games Project
Replay The Game

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