circus catch
noun
: a catch (as in baseball or football) requiring an extraordinary or spectacular effort
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Benet’s Pat Pitello used all of his 145 pounds and needed every inch of his 5-foot-11 frame to fight off the defender and make the circus catch. 
Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2022 An exuberant Yaz popped up from the turf after the tumbling circus catch and raised high his right arm, brandishing the ball as if to admonish the baseball gods that were so routinely cruel to early-’60s Sox. Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Aug. 2022 But Alex Davis made a circus catch and had a perfect throw to first to double off Arrendondo. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2022 The play started when Meckler crushed a ball to the warning track in right-center field and Hall had all kinds of trouble tracking it, eventually making a circus catch and falling near the wall. Joe Freeman, oregonlive, 8 May 2022 Then Culberson scored on a sac fly to shortstop, making a heads up baserunning play after Andrelton Simmons had a circus catch to temporarily save the game. Dallas News, 5 May 2021 Brees threw to receiver Michael Thomas in the end zone on third-and-goal, but Thomas' circus catch didn't count because his knee landed out of bounds. Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 17 Jan. 2021 The Saints answered with an eight-play, 73-yard drive, keyed by running back Alvin Kamara’s circus catch, to tie the game with 52 seconds remaining in regulation. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 13 Oct. 2020 In the ensuing minutes, his circus catch became bigger and bigger. Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, 10 Aug. 2020 See More
Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2022 An exuberant Yaz popped up from the turf after the tumbling circus catch and raised high his right arm, brandishing the ball as if to admonish the baseball gods that were so routinely cruel to early-’60s Sox. Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Aug. 2022 But Alex Davis made a circus catch and had a perfect throw to first to double off Arrendondo. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2022 The play started when Meckler crushed a ball to the warning track in right-center field and Hall had all kinds of trouble tracking it, eventually making a circus catch and falling near the wall. Joe Freeman, oregonlive, 8 May 2022 Then Culberson scored on a sac fly to shortstop, making a heads up baserunning play after Andrelton Simmons had a circus catch to temporarily save the game. Dallas News, 5 May 2021 Brees threw to receiver Michael Thomas in the end zone on third-and-goal, but Thomas' circus catch didn't count because his knee landed out of bounds. Amie Just | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 17 Jan. 2021 The Saints answered with an eight-play, 73-yard drive, keyed by running back Alvin Kamara’s circus catch, to tie the game with 52 seconds remaining in regulation. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 13 Oct. 2020 In the ensuing minutes, his circus catch became bigger and bigger. Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, 10 Aug. 2020 See More Word History
First Known Use
1893, in the meaning defined above