Harris Makes Two-Handed History

National League

Greg Harris became the first player to pitch with both hands in a game in modern major-league history, working a scoreless ninth inning Thursday night for the Montreal Expos in a 9-7 loss to Cincinnati.

Harris faced four batters - two from his normal right side and two as a lefty.

“I haven’t been this nervous since my debut 15 years ago,” said Harris, who had wanted to pitch ambidextrously for a decade but was forbidden. “I had jelly knees. I’m still in shock. It’s not something I was prepared for.”

Harris, 39, warmed up in the bullpen from both sides, but was told by pitching coach Joe Kerrigan that he had to retire the first batter, righty Reggie Sanders, before being permitted to pitch left-handed.

“All I was thinking was to get Sanders out,” Harris said. “When he grounded out to short, I took the ball and thought, ‘Here we go.’ I think my heart stopped.”

His first pitch left-handed to Hal Morris sailed high and wide to the backstop.

“I got that wild pitch out the way,” he said. “It wasn’t even close.”

Harris walked Morris on four pitches, then remained as a lefty and got lefty Eddie Taubensee to ground out on a full-count pitch.

Then, Harris went back to being a righty and retired the right-hand hitting Bret Boone on another grounder.

Using a six-finger glove, Harris became the first ambidextrous pitcher in the majors since Elton “Ice Box” Chamberlain of the Louisville Colonels in 1888.

Harris throws about 85 mph as a right-hander. He can reach about 80 as a lefty, but threw slower Thursday.

“I had a tough time gauging his 62 mph pitches,” Taubensee said, laughing.

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