The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every March 31 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MARCH 31 · 121 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1996–2025

On this date in 1998, The Mets beat Philadelphia 1–0 in 13 innings while being out-hit 9 to 7. It took 4 hours and 35 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 121 major-league games played on March 31, from 1996 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

2014-03-31	Philadelphia at Texas	14–10	9.0
1998-03-31	Philadelphia at the Mets	0–1	13.8	275 min
2025-03-31	The Cubs at the Athletics	18–3	9.0	by 15
2003-03-31	San Francisco at San Diego	5–2	9.0	61,707 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

2025-03-31	The Anaheim Angels at St. Louis	5–4	10.0	hits 4-11
2019-03-31	The Cubs at Texas	10–11	8.7	hits 17-11
2018-03-31	San Francisco at the Dodgers	0–5	8.5	hits 9-4

The Mirror Game — a line score this date shares with another day

1998-03-31	Milwaukee at Atlanta	1–2	8.8	001000000 / 100000001
1998-03-31	Philadelphia at the Mets	0–1	13.8	00000000000000 / 00000000000001
1998-03-31	The Dodgers at St. Louis	0–6	8.5	000000000 / 00004002x

By the decades

1990s 12 · 2000s 26 · 2010s 49 · 2020s 34

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THE CATBIRD SEAT is set by the Committee on Playing Rules of Tearing Up the Pea Patch, a Macguffin Co. game, Commissioner F. McCoy presiding. Almanac editions are compiled from the record by the Committee’s engine and read by no one before you; a surprising fact in them is a lead, not a verdict. The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at www.retrosheet.org. Wire service (RSS)