Remembering the most mind-boggling slide you'll ever see
5 years ago today, Chris Coghlan literally leaped over Yadier Molina to score
Any play described at the time as akin to "seeing a unicorn" is worth looking back on. It's been five years to the day since Toronto's Chris Coghlan vaulted over Yadier Molina at home plate, one of the most mind-boggling "slides" you'll ever see, and it still hasn't been topped.
You might remember the play well, but it's another thing entirely to watch it again. Luckily, there are also some incredible photos from The Associated Press that night that tell the story in three acts.
Act 1: Coghlan takes off
With Coghlan only about three-quarters of the way home when the throw reached Molina, it seemed like the Blue Jays outfielder had no shot. But when Molina bent to retrieve the ball, instinct took over. You can see it in Coghlan's face here that even he is not quite sure what he just tried to pull off.
Act 2: Clearing the target
OK, deciding to make the leap is one thing, but actually having the airtime to vault fully over the nearly six-feet-tall Molina (albeit in a crouch) without so much as brushing against him is the stuff of dunk contest legend. Put a cape on Coghlan and Dwight Howard has nothing on him. Just marvel at that form.
Act 3: The dismount
The stylish finish here makes this an easy 10 out of 10 on the judges' cards. In one tumbling motion, Coghlan is able to touch home plate and then somersault to his feet. On the smoothness scale, we're inclined to rate this even higher than the Trea Turner slide that had everyone buzzing last season. Degree of difficulty matters!
"I just jumped, and the rest is history," Coghlan said at the time. Half a decade later and we still can't get over this play. How right he was.