(Hidden-ball) trick or treat: Some Halloween-themed baseball trivia
Chicago Cubs’ starting pitcher Yu Darvish delivers during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, in New York. Darvish pitched eight innings in the game, allowing one run on five hits.
Kathy Willens/AP
One of the rarest plays in baseball, the hidden-ball trick, is as much fun as anything you might see in the game. It is at the same time enjoyable and embarrassing. The trick is executed when a fielder hides the ball to fool the runner into thinking the pitcher has it, allowing the fielder to tag the runner out. I only bring this up today because I’m not a ‘‘trick or treat’’ fan. I prefer a simple ‘‘Happy Halloween’’ with the awarding of candy as a response. There are way too many tricks in the outside world. Let’s show a little love to the kids who work hard appearing in a costume and lugging around an increasingly large largesse of candy, from which their parents can grab a few bites after the collectors enter a sugar-induced sleep. Have fun and learn a lot.