At one point in time, Fred Merkle was the most (in)famous player in baseball history, though today only hardcore fans know his story. The pennant race in 1908 is one of the closest in baseball history (American League too, but that’s not part of this story). On September 23, two of the leaders, the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs, met in an important match. Merkle was a 19-year-old rookie, though many regarded him as an extremely intelligent player. He had played in about 40 games that season, but this would be only his second start of the season.
The game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Art Devlin singled. Moose McCormick followed with a ground ball, but the Cubs were only able to get the force out at second. Merkle was up next, and he his a sharp single to the right-field line. McCormick stopped at third. In most other situations, Merkle could have easily had a double, but, being smart, he knew his run didn’t matter so he stayed at first to not risk making the third out. Al Bridwell came up next, and hit a single into center field. Giants win the game! The fans storm the field (much more common in those days)! Except…
In those days, it was common practice that in this case, with a clear game-winning hit, the winning run would touch home and the other runners would make their way to the clubhouse. By the rules, however, the run does not count until all other runners have safely reached their next base to avoid a force out. Again, this was not enforced at that time until about a week earlier when the Cubs attempted to catch another team. That time the out was not called, but the league sent a warning to the umpires and a few clubs that the rule would be enforced going forward. The Cubs knew this, the Giants didn’t, so Merkle didn’t. As mentioned, he did wanted dozens of others had done up to that point. The Cubs ran down the ball, stepped on second, and though the umpires said the game was over, the Cubs appealed to the league president, and the game was officially ruled a “tie” to be made up later.
Again, this is a difficult situation to understand if you’re not a baseball fan. At the time, however, newspapers all over started calling Merkle a “bonehead,” and so fans followed suit. To make matters worse, the game was replayed at the end of the season, October 8. The Giants and Cubs were tied for first (the Pirates were just a half-game back, but it was too late for them). The Cubs won the makeup 4-2, and went on to win the World Series. Again, the newspapers blamed it all on Merkle.
To his credit, Merkle hung on, including through a disastrous 1909 campaign, to play 16 seasons and play in 5 World Series (though not winning one). The “Bonehead” epitaph stayed with him throughout, even if players and coaches knew he was one of the smartest players in the game.
The book itself is interesting, I just wish there was more about Merkle himself. Maybe the author used all that was available. The final chapter he basically presents him as a saint, a heroic figure, but with little evidence to back that up outside of “he was unfairly branded a loser but he forged on.”
Finally, just a little background on why I read this book. My first assignment as a priest was in Watertown, WI. Somehow I noticed a baseball field there named after him. Knowing his story already, I had to search it out, and came to this book. He is honored there because he was born there, the son of a Lutheran school teacher, but they moved away only 15 months after he was born (interestingly, about as long as I lasted there). So while he’s “from” Watertown, he certainly would not have considered it home. And, I promise this is my final note, my parents gave me the book on my 1 year anniversary as a priest. Mom and Dad, it only took me 4 years to read it!
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