Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win!
Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 10:17 am
My wife has heard of 'Tinkers to Evers to Chance.
She doesn't know why.
I'm not sure if younger folks have even heard of the double play combination.
Pardon the pun, but their popularity all came about because of chance.
"Tinker to Evers to Chance."
Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double—
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
"Tinker to Evers to Chance."
—FRANKLIN P. ADAMS
"Baseball's Sad Lexicon," New York Evening Mail, 1910
Believe it or not this poem was the impetus for the trio's fame. Adams was told to fill eight lines as column filler. He was not a sportswriter, but a columnist. A columnist that was a Giants fan.
Tinkers, Evers, and Chance were not even the best double play combination of their day. They never led the league in double plays even though they played together for seven years.
They were very good ball players. Ball players who are all in the Hall of Fame. The argument still rages as to whether they belong in the Hall or not. By most counts, without the popular poem, they would not have been inducted.
The poem became popular with many remembering every line and it was even put to music.
One of the trio, Johnny Evers, gave up on correcting people in the pronunciation of his name which was actually 'EE'vers'.
Evers is one of the smallest players in the Hall at only 5' 9", 135 pounds.
And it was Evers who was involved in one of the most infamous plays of the early 20th century.
Newspapermen called it, 'Merkle's Boner'.
In 1908, the Cubs and Giants were the class of the National League. There were 11 games left in the season and the two teams were in a flatfooted tie as they were to square off against each other.
Christy Mathewson pitched brilliantly for the Giants, only giving up one run. The Giants only mustered one run themselves though.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, there were two outs with a runner on first, when 19 year old Fred Merkle, making his first career start, singled the base runner to third. The next batter singled to the outfield and pandemonium broke loose. The home team had won the game.
Or had they?
In the excitement, the base runner from third had indeed, touched home plate. But young Merkle, in a hurry to join the celebration or avoid the fans streaming on the field peeled away from second, not tagging the base. There was some confusion in how Johnny Evers received the ball. Or whether it was even the game ball. But minutes later, Evers stood on second base, showing umpire Hank O'Day the ball. O'Day raised his right arm, declared the runner out, took the run off the board, and declared the game called because of darkness.
It was said that at least a dozen fights began. Some involving ball players.
Here is O'Days original report-
Dear sir,
In the game to-day at New York between New York and the Chicago Club. In the last half of the 9th inning, the score was a tie 1–1. New York was at the Bat, with two Men out, McCormick of N. York on 3rd Base and Merkle of N. York on 1st Base; Bridwell was at the Bat and hit a clean single Base-Hit to Center Field. Merkle did not run the Ball out; he started toward 2nd Base, but on getting half way there he turned and ran down the field toward the Club House. The Ball was fielded in to 2nd Base for a Chgo. Man to make the play, when McGinnity ran from the Coacher's Box out in the Field to 2nd Base and interfered with the Play being made. Emslie, who said he did not watch Merkle, asked me if Merkle touched 2nd Base. I said he did not. Then Emslie called Merkle out, and I would not allow McCormick's Run to score. The Game at the end of the 9th inning was 1–1. The People ran out on the Field. I did not ask to have the Field cleared, as it was too dark to continue play.
Yours respt.
(signed)
Henry O'Day
O'Day was thought to be one of the best umpires of the era. He umpired in 10 World Series.
Nobody would ever guess how he got started in umpiring. O'Day had pitched in baseball and left with a sore arm. He took a job as a clerk in the City Recorders office in Chicago. He attended Cubs games as much as possible. In attending one game, he was asked to umpire because the regular umpire had travel problems. It was the start of a new career.
He stopped umpiring twice. In 1912, he managed the Cincinnati Reds. In 1914, he Managed the Chicago Cubs.
He is thought to be the only player/manager/umpire in baseball history.
But, here's the rest of the story....
Nineteen days earlier, the Cubs were in exactly the same situation. The Pirates had runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. A single was struck and hoopla began for Pirates fans. Evers swore that the runner from first never touched second base. He retrieved the ball, but the umpire, believe it or not, Hank O'Day again, had left the field. In his report, he told all that he had never seen the runner not touch second base or Evers touch second base with the ball since he had left the field.
The Cubs protested. It was turned down. Evers had at the least, planted a seed that O'Day was incorrect in leaving the field.
It paid huge dividends.
The story has a happy ending for the Cubs. They would tie the Giants for the pennant, win a playoff game with them, then defeat the Tigers in the World Series.
Some say that the Cubs victory was tainted or cursed.
Maybe it was.
It was the last time the Cubs would win a World Series.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Just a footnote-
O'Days report was read by Harry Pullium.
Pullium was the President of the National League.
This story and how it played out was the premier sports story for a very long time.
Pullium under so much pressure, and worse, under so much self-pressure. He took several months off and discussed retirement with friends.
He would eventually come back to the job.
But, 10 months after upholding O'Day's decision, Pulliam put a bullet through his head.
Upon his death being announced, all baseball games were cancelled the next day.
The first time play was halted for all teams.
She doesn't know why.
I'm not sure if younger folks have even heard of the double play combination.
Pardon the pun, but their popularity all came about because of chance.
"Tinker to Evers to Chance."
Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double—
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
"Tinker to Evers to Chance."
—FRANKLIN P. ADAMS
"Baseball's Sad Lexicon," New York Evening Mail, 1910
Believe it or not this poem was the impetus for the trio's fame. Adams was told to fill eight lines as column filler. He was not a sportswriter, but a columnist. A columnist that was a Giants fan.
Tinkers, Evers, and Chance were not even the best double play combination of their day. They never led the league in double plays even though they played together for seven years.
They were very good ball players. Ball players who are all in the Hall of Fame. The argument still rages as to whether they belong in the Hall or not. By most counts, without the popular poem, they would not have been inducted.
The poem became popular with many remembering every line and it was even put to music.
One of the trio, Johnny Evers, gave up on correcting people in the pronunciation of his name which was actually 'EE'vers'.
Evers is one of the smallest players in the Hall at only 5' 9", 135 pounds.
And it was Evers who was involved in one of the most infamous plays of the early 20th century.
Newspapermen called it, 'Merkle's Boner'.
In 1908, the Cubs and Giants were the class of the National League. There were 11 games left in the season and the two teams were in a flatfooted tie as they were to square off against each other.
Christy Mathewson pitched brilliantly for the Giants, only giving up one run. The Giants only mustered one run themselves though.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, there were two outs with a runner on first, when 19 year old Fred Merkle, making his first career start, singled the base runner to third. The next batter singled to the outfield and pandemonium broke loose. The home team had won the game.
Or had they?
In the excitement, the base runner from third had indeed, touched home plate. But young Merkle, in a hurry to join the celebration or avoid the fans streaming on the field peeled away from second, not tagging the base. There was some confusion in how Johnny Evers received the ball. Or whether it was even the game ball. But minutes later, Evers stood on second base, showing umpire Hank O'Day the ball. O'Day raised his right arm, declared the runner out, took the run off the board, and declared the game called because of darkness.
It was said that at least a dozen fights began. Some involving ball players.
Here is O'Days original report-
Dear sir,
In the game to-day at New York between New York and the Chicago Club. In the last half of the 9th inning, the score was a tie 1–1. New York was at the Bat, with two Men out, McCormick of N. York on 3rd Base and Merkle of N. York on 1st Base; Bridwell was at the Bat and hit a clean single Base-Hit to Center Field. Merkle did not run the Ball out; he started toward 2nd Base, but on getting half way there he turned and ran down the field toward the Club House. The Ball was fielded in to 2nd Base for a Chgo. Man to make the play, when McGinnity ran from the Coacher's Box out in the Field to 2nd Base and interfered with the Play being made. Emslie, who said he did not watch Merkle, asked me if Merkle touched 2nd Base. I said he did not. Then Emslie called Merkle out, and I would not allow McCormick's Run to score. The Game at the end of the 9th inning was 1–1. The People ran out on the Field. I did not ask to have the Field cleared, as it was too dark to continue play.
Yours respt.
(signed)
Henry O'Day
O'Day was thought to be one of the best umpires of the era. He umpired in 10 World Series.
Nobody would ever guess how he got started in umpiring. O'Day had pitched in baseball and left with a sore arm. He took a job as a clerk in the City Recorders office in Chicago. He attended Cubs games as much as possible. In attending one game, he was asked to umpire because the regular umpire had travel problems. It was the start of a new career.
He stopped umpiring twice. In 1912, he managed the Cincinnati Reds. In 1914, he Managed the Chicago Cubs.
He is thought to be the only player/manager/umpire in baseball history.
But, here's the rest of the story....
Nineteen days earlier, the Cubs were in exactly the same situation. The Pirates had runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. A single was struck and hoopla began for Pirates fans. Evers swore that the runner from first never touched second base. He retrieved the ball, but the umpire, believe it or not, Hank O'Day again, had left the field. In his report, he told all that he had never seen the runner not touch second base or Evers touch second base with the ball since he had left the field.
The Cubs protested. It was turned down. Evers had at the least, planted a seed that O'Day was incorrect in leaving the field.
It paid huge dividends.
The story has a happy ending for the Cubs. They would tie the Giants for the pennant, win a playoff game with them, then defeat the Tigers in the World Series.
Some say that the Cubs victory was tainted or cursed.
Maybe it was.
It was the last time the Cubs would win a World Series.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Just a footnote-
O'Days report was read by Harry Pullium.
Pullium was the President of the National League.
This story and how it played out was the premier sports story for a very long time.
Pullium under so much pressure, and worse, under so much self-pressure. He took several months off and discussed retirement with friends.
He would eventually come back to the job.
But, 10 months after upholding O'Day's decision, Pulliam put a bullet through his head.
Upon his death being announced, all baseball games were cancelled the next day.
The first time play was halted for all teams.
) but baseball for me began around 1977 so I love reading these stories.
