Harry Chiti had a pretty unremarkable career in Major League Baseball, but he did manage an interesting piece of baseball trivia.
With a lifetime batting average of .238 and 41 homeruns and 179 RBIs, Harry bounced around the majors as a back-up catcher. He played for Chicago, Baltimore, Kansas City, Detroit, Cleveland, and both New York teams. Harry’s reputation as a catcher who was able to handle a knuckleball brought interest from several teams, but his overall contribution as an offensive and defense player left a lot to be desired. In one game in 1956, however, Harry was at the plate and found himself being intentionally walked. Milwaukee Braves right-hander Ray Crone threw a ball a bit too close to the outside corner and Harry drilled it into right field for a triple.
In April 1962, Harry — then playing for Cleveland — was dealt to the New York Mets for a player to be named later. Harry played 15 games for the Mets and racked up a pitiful .195 batting average. In June 1962, The trade was completed when the player to be named later was finally named. It was Harry. He was sent back to Cleveland — making him the very first player to be traded for himself.
He spend the end of his career in Triple-A league until his retirement in 1964. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 69. Although three more players have been part of similar transactions, Harry was the first.