It was a great catch and IMO is not overrated, but we can compare it only to catches we have seen. What about catches before the days of televising every game? Those who were there will swear that the Luplow catch can not be topped. SI had a piece on it a few years ago. Unfortunately there is no video.
It was in between a line drive and a fly ball," recalls Luplow. "I kept getting closer and closer to it, and I said to myself, 'I gotta catch this ball.' " On the dead run, about 380 feet from home plate, Luplow leapt high and speared the ball backhanded as he went sailing over the five-foot-high fence that fronts the Boston bullpen. "I felt the warning track," he says, "so I was definitely aware of the wall. But I guess I'd just made up my mind to catch the ball. It was actually over the fence when I caught it, and I just barely touched the fence with my right knee going over."
In midair, with the ball nestled securely in his glove, Luplow realized he was in trouble—it was likely to be a rough landing. "After I caught the ball, I said, 'Uh oh!' If I'd kept going face first, I would have really hurt myself. I think my football background helped me because I tucked my left shoulder and rolled, and fortunately all I did was spike myself on the right knee."
After clearing the fence, Luplow disappeared from sight. Several moments later, he reappeared, waving his glove with the ball still in it, his head barely visible above the wall. "I held up the ball, and the centerfielder, Willie Kirkland, reached over the fence and grabbed it from me to see if we could double somebody off."
At the same time, first base umpire Joe Paparella, who had also started back at the crack of the bat, was making the call. "I was between 50 and 60 feet away," says Paparella. " Luplow's feet were still in the playing territory when he caught the ball. He had possession of the ball after he fell into the bullpen, and he came back up with it. It was an out. There was no question about it."
"I sure wouldn't ever do it again," says Luplow today. "I could have easily broken my neck. I must have put those guys in the bullpen in shock."
<< <i>No way is that catch overrated. That was as deep a center field this side of the moon and in the World Series at a crucial point. That ball was so far gone in any ball park today that Jim Edmonds would have had to hop the fence, buy a hot dog, cracker jacks, a soda, and take a a few flights of stairs before he got to it >>
There may have been "better" catches, but no way no how whatsoever is the Mays catch "overrated". If anything the Edmonds catches are overrated. As stated above, Edmonds never gets to Wertz's hit. Now I haven't seen every game Mays ever played, but what I did see, I think that was the only ball hit over his head that he really had to make a real effort to get to, and even then he is actually slowing down as he makes the catch. Edmonds A) always seems to have a lot of balls hit over his head. From when I played the OF, getting a ball hit over your head was sort of frowned upon, and 2) Edmonds seems to have to go 'alls out to make these plays. Getting a number of hits going over your head in the OF and having to go full speed to get to them, I think that sort of play is overrated. Just sayin'.
<< <i>I can't believe you are comparing Edmonds to Mays who is probably the greatest all round player to ever play the game.
Edmonds is good but he is no Mays. >>
So, since Mays was a far better player, that means Edmonds couldn't possibly make a better catch than Mays did?!?
I've played baseball and softball for a few decades and I've seen quite a few over-the-shoulder catches made by amateurs, and tons made by pros. Edmonds made a diving catch with his back to home plate on a ball hit to center. I've never seen another outfielder make a catch like that. Has anyone? The degree of difficulty is off the charts.
<< <i>Now I haven't seen every game Mays ever played, but what I did see, I think that was the only ball hit over his head that he really had to make a real effort to get to, and even then he is actually slowing down as he makes the catch. >>
That's why it's overrated. If you don't even have to dive or run hard all the way, then the catch isn't all that great. Edmonds had to run hard all the way AND dive.
Baseball Tonight's Top 10 Web Gems 10. Willie Mays 9. Kenny Lofton robs B.J. Surhoff 8. Griffey breaks his wrist on the wall 7. Aaron Rowand face break 6. Buck Martinez tags out two with broken leg at home 5. Ozzie Smith dives over CF Curt Ford 4. Otis Nixon robs Andy Van Slyke 3. Gary Matthews, Jr. climbs the wall 2. Jim Edmonds backwards dive 1. Ozzie Smith barehanded stop
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See the entire story at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120015/index.htm
It was in between a line drive and a fly ball," recalls Luplow. "I kept getting closer and closer to it, and I said to myself, 'I gotta catch this ball.' " On the dead run, about 380 feet from home plate, Luplow leapt high and speared the ball backhanded as he went sailing over the five-foot-high fence that fronts the Boston bullpen. "I felt the warning track," he says, "so I was definitely aware of the wall. But I guess I'd just made up my mind to catch the ball. It was actually over the fence when I caught it, and I just barely touched the fence with my right knee going over."
In midair, with the ball nestled securely in his glove, Luplow realized he was in trouble—it was likely to be a rough landing. "After I caught the ball, I said, 'Uh oh!' If I'd kept going face first, I would have really hurt myself. I think my football background helped me because I tucked my left shoulder and rolled, and fortunately all I did was spike myself on the right knee."
After clearing the fence, Luplow disappeared from sight. Several moments later, he reappeared, waving his glove with the ball still in it, his head barely visible above the wall. "I held up the ball, and the centerfielder, Willie Kirkland, reached over the fence and grabbed it from me to see if we could double somebody off."
At the same time, first base umpire Joe Paparella, who had also started back at the crack of the bat, was making the call. "I was between 50 and 60 feet away," says Paparella. " Luplow's feet were still in the playing territory when he caught the ball. He had possession of the ball after he fell into the bullpen, and he came back up with it. It was an out. There was no question about it."
"I sure wouldn't ever do it again," says Luplow today. "I could have easily broken my neck. I must have put those guys in the bullpen in shock."
Edmonds is good but he is no Mays.
<< <i>No way is that catch overrated. That was as deep a center field this side of the moon and in the World Series at a crucial point. That ball was so far gone in any ball park today that Jim Edmonds would have had to hop the fence, buy a hot dog, cracker jacks, a soda, and take a a few flights of stairs before he got to it
There may have been "better" catches, but no way no how whatsoever is the Mays catch "overrated". If anything the Edmonds catches are overrated. As stated above, Edmonds never gets to Wertz's hit. Now I haven't seen every game Mays ever played, but what I did see, I think that was the only ball hit over his head that he really had to make a real effort to get to, and even then he is actually slowing down as he makes the catch. Edmonds A) always seems to have a lot of balls hit over his head. From when I played the OF, getting a ball hit over your head was sort of frowned upon, and 2) Edmonds seems to have to go 'alls out to make these plays. Getting a number of hits going over your head in the OF and having to go full speed to get to them, I think that sort of play is overrated. Just sayin'.
<< <i>I can't believe you are comparing Edmonds to Mays who is probably the greatest all round player to ever play the game.
Edmonds is good but he is no Mays. >>
So, since Mays was a far better player, that means Edmonds couldn't possibly make a better catch than Mays did?!?
I've played baseball and softball for a few decades and I've seen quite a few over-the-shoulder catches made by amateurs, and tons made by pros. Edmonds made a diving catch with his back to home plate on a ball hit to center. I've never seen another outfielder make a catch like that. Has anyone? The degree of difficulty is off the charts.
<< <i>Now I haven't seen every game Mays ever played, but what I did see, I think that was the only ball hit over his head that he really had to make a real effort to get to, and even then he is actually slowing down as he makes the catch. >>
That's why it's overrated. If you don't even have to dive or run hard all the way, then the catch isn't all that great. Edmonds had to run hard all the way AND dive.
Baseball Tonight's Top 10 Web Gems
10. Willie Mays
9. Kenny Lofton robs B.J. Surhoff
8. Griffey breaks his wrist on the wall
7. Aaron Rowand face break
6. Buck Martinez tags out two with broken leg at home
5. Ozzie Smith dives over CF Curt Ford
4. Otis Nixon robs Andy Van Slyke
3. Gary Matthews, Jr. climbs the wall
2. Jim Edmonds backwards dive
1. Ozzie Smith barehanded stop