To be honest, their title actually sells Sam Miller's piece a bit short, because "epic" can't even begin to describe this 3-minute slice of absolute pandemonium. (And I'm not sure "trick" says anywhere near enough, either.)
A typical stolen base is over within four seconds; a typical single within eight; a typical triple within 12. The most elaborate and disorienting plays might get to 20 seconds. I have found a play that took 26 seconds, and one that took 29 seconds, but I have never seen a play that took longer. But I've heard one...For 2 minutes and 32 seconds of pure chaos, a high school state championship game in Rhode Island entered a parallel universe -- and unleashed the longest hardball stalemate of all time.
Ever heard anything like that? (Not me, I'll readily admit.) Curious as to what the heck's actually going on? (Most emphatically me, I'll admit, even more readily!) So read the whole piece, then. Miller's writing is a blast (as always), his research (and the play's backstory) are extraordinary, and you'll never look at Rule 5.09(b)(1) quite the same way again.
I promise.
Attribution(s): "Old-Timey Base-Running" courtesy of Internet Archive Book Images via Visualhunt. No knowncopyright restrictions.