Pitcher Jon Lester goes rogue, throws his glove to first base for the out

Baseball, one of the oldest American sports, doesn’t usually pack too many surprises.

But on Sunday, fans were treated to a bit of on-the-field innovation that may rank as one of the cleverest baseball plays in recent memory, thanks to a bit of quick thinking.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester, attempting to toss the ball to first base to help tag out a player from the San Diego Padres, was faced with a dilemma: the ball was stuck in his glove.

So Lester did what any quick thinking baseball player with a penchant for thinking outside of the box would do — he threw his entire glove to his first baseman.

Spoiler alert: It actually worked!

However, it’s not an unprecedented play. Back in 1999, Orlando Hernández (aka “El Duque”) pulled the same move.

Nevertheless, Lester’s play still managed to spice up a Sunday afternoon for hardcore fans of the game.

Alas, the Cubs ultimately lost to the Padres 5 to 2, but the play lives on via social media as the coolest sports moments of 2015.

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