Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1916-07-15
Fred Merkle sizes up IS one Of the
most remarkable men In baseball.

most rcmurkuDte men III DuScD,tI.
Seven years or so ago he pulls a
"boner." 1t was a slip of mental cable
that would have been excused 90 times
out Of 100. But that was the hundredth
time. Merkle's misplay cost the New
York Giants the championship Of the
National league and deprived them OF
u split Of the world series gold.
And from that day to this he has
been the target for sarcasm. For two
or three years after that incident his
every appearance ON the ball field was
greeted with boots. lie was jeered mt,
scOfred ut and spoofed wherever he
went. He was ridlculed and his name
became synonym for 'bOnehcad.'
The treatment accorded Merklc
would have broken the spirit Of any
other man. 1t would have affected his
work to such an extent that not only
would he have sliidded out Of the mn.
Tors, but would have landed eventually
In the baseball scrap heap. 1t was the
sort of treatment that only man with
Iron villa man filed with the door.
die spirit-could have submitted to
and lived through. And Merkle IL that
man.
DESPITE Jesrs Becomes Star.
For seven years he has remained In
| the same uniform that he "discredit-
ed" For seven years he hns played a
brand Of baseball that marks him as
one of the most valuable cOgs In the
Giant machine; one Of the best first
basemen In the land. He has played
always to hostile crowds; always be-
fore people who were cunning for
him. He knew that every second he
was being watched; that the slightest
slip would bring renewed boots and
Kisses and jeers.
It has been seven years and BIT
longer since Merkle pulled his "boner
and Merkle today Is playing better
brand OF all.arOund baseball than he
did earlier In his career; playing 1t In
face Of open opposition not only
abroad but among the home town fans
Erred Merkle Ia the most courageous
man that ever dOnned baseball uni
FORM" was the compliment John Nc
Graw paid to him some time ago. HI
stands out today as an heroic figure
Of bravery and gameness In face o.
terrific obstacles"
How "Densr" Was Pulled.
The Merkle "bOner" Is fresh In TIN
minds Of the fans Of eight and tel
years ago, but new generation ha
arisen since then. For its benefit tn
story Of the "bOner" Is here retOld.
The misplay was made on the Pol
grounds, September %, 1908, In tn
. presence Of $4,000 crowd. When tn
! Giants went to bat In the last half o
, the ninth the score stood 1 to l. b
! the time two men were out McCormic
was on third, Merkle on first and Bird
. we'll at the plate.
Bridwell shot single over secOn
4 base and Mccormick raced home wit
! what seemed to be the winning rul
But It wasn't. Merkle, instead OF ruI
ming to second base and touching !
suffered mental lapse In his elatio
, over what seemed to be Giant VII
tory which would have cinched tn
pennant.
Merkle never touched second bas
but detoured ON his way and raced int
the clubhouse. Johnny Evers, playin
u second for the Cubs that day, notice
Meskle's ''bOner" and knew that II J
: could get back the ball and touch Sc
ond base before Merkle he would f0rt
out Merkle. making the third out an
nulling McCOrmick's swimming" run.
ri Meolnnlty's Plan Follsd.
VI Evers yelled to Hoffman, who gra
= bed the ball and threw toward secOn
= However, the crowd already hi
!" Jumped upon the field and the ball, !
stead of going direct to Evers, hit OF
- of the spectators and was dehecte
- by this time Joe McGinnity the Gia
- pitcher, sensed that something W
wrong. He rushed onto the crowd