In 1962, Major League Baseball witnessed one of its most unusual transactions when catcher Harry Chiti became the only player in MLB history to be traded for himself.
The Cleveland Indians had sent Chiti to the newly formed New York Mets on April 25, 1962, as part of a “player to be named later” deal.
At the time, this arrangement was common practice in baseball, allowing teams to complete trades after evaluating players over a short period.
The Mets, looking for experienced depth behind the plate, agreed to acquire Chiti without finalizing the return immediately.
Harry Chiti’s Unforgettable Trade: The MLB First That Made Baseball History!
Harry Chiti was an American professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1962.
Chiti was known as a strong defensive catcher with a quick throwing arm, often valued for his ability to handle pitchers effectively.
While his batting statistics were modest, he was a dependable presence behind the plate.
His MLB career was interrupted by military service during the Korean War, but he returned to continue playing through the early 1960s.
After leaving the majors, Chiti spent a couple more seasons in the minor leagues before retiring from professional baseball in 1964.
Harry Chiti is best remembered for one of baseball’s quirkiest moments.
Chiti’s time with the Mets was brief and largely unremarkable. In 15 games, he struggled at the plate, managing only two hits in 18 at-bats.
His performance failed to impress the Mets’ management, and by June of that year, they decided he was not the solution they were looking for.
To settle the original trade agreement with Cleveland, the Mets returned Chiti as the “player to be named later,” effectively making him the first and only MLB player to be traded for himself.
The deal quickly became a quirky piece of baseball trivia and a symbol of the unpredictable nature of the sport’s transactions.
While Chiti’s playing career wound down shortly afterward, his unusual trade ensured him a permanent place in baseball lore.
Over the decades, Harry Chiti’s story has been retold as a lighthearted reminder of baseball’s unpredictability.
In one of the sport’s quirkiest moments, he was sent back to his former team as the very payment for his own acquisition.
While rare, this trade type has happened a few other times in baseball history, notably with players like Brad Gulden, Dickie Noles, and John McDonald.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Harry Chiti was born on November 16, 1932, in Kincaid, Illinois, and made his MLB debut at just 17 years old with the Chicago Cubs.
- Known as a strong defensive catcher with a powerful throwing arm, he played parts of nine seasons in the majors.
- He passed away on January 31, 2002, in Haines City, Florida, at the age of 69.
