HOW OLD IS THE OLD HIDDEN BALL TRICK?

July 15, 2002

The infielder's sleight of hand—which was attempted unsuccessfully by the Phillies last week—is at least as old as professional baseball, according to Bill Deane, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. Though its origins are murky ("Even in the 19th century they were calling it ancient and moss-covered," Deane says), the trick made its big league debut in the first year of the National League, on May 25, 1876: Chicago White Stockings legend Cap Anson was duped and caught off third base when Hartford Dark Blues shortstop Tom (Scoops) Carey concealed the ball, then fired it to third baseman Bob (Death to Flying Things) Ferguson. By Deane's count it has been pulled off 140 times since, most recently by the Giants against the Dodgers, on June 26, 1999.