IN THE EIGHTH inning of the Cincinnati Reds' game on May 7, Tucker Barnhart found himself in the midst of a true conundrum. On one hand, he was catching the game of his life, with Wade Miley, a soft-tossing left-hander, throwing a no-hitter. Barnhart didn't want to do anything to disturb the dynamic or, baseball gods forbid, jinx the moment. On the other hand, he really had to pee.
Barnhart figured he'd rather use the bathroom than spend the final moments of a potentially historic happening squirming behind the plate. And Barnhart wants to emphasize that what Miley did -- and what five other starters have done in this year's unprecedented run of no-hitters across baseball -- is a matter of history, yes, but it's more. It remains special enough that he, a grown man, actually wondered whether it might've been appropriate to deny nature's call.