The Washington times., 1920-01-07
WHEN CUBS LANDED FLAG
IN WONDERFUL PLAY-OFF
By FREDERICK G. LIEB.

Crucial games are the meat Of pro-
,fessional baseball. But throughout
the entire history Of Americans ma
uonal game there is no individual
contest which stands out 30 conspic-
uously as the famous play-off game
between the Chicago Cubs and New
York Giants on the Polo Grounds,
New York, on October s, 1908. TAX
ing into consideration the fact that
a league championship hinged on the
game, the tenseness Of play and the
sensational development which led
up to the game and followed In Its
wake, this play-on game must be
given rank among all league con-
tests for all-around Importance.
Truly none can deny that it was the
most vital struggle ever waged by
Chicago National League team In the
forty-four years history Of this ia
nous organization.
Tho game, which was won by the
Cubs by a score of 4 to 2, was a Sc
quel to another never-to-be-forgottc
contest, the famous "Merklc game"
OF September %, when the young sub
stitutc first baseman of the Giants
~on uhuyIHs thhtC W iAhu'" -
touch second base on a ninth inning
hit by Al Bridwell which drove in
Moose Mccormick with what at the
time was believed to have been New
York's winning run.
The famous little Trojan. Johnny
Evers. called to Artie Holman. the
Cub center fielder, for the ball. He
tagged second base. forcing Merkle,
who had been on first base as a re-
suit Of a pinch single, for the bird
out, thus multiplying McCormick's run.
The crowd. believing the Giants had
won, ran out on the field and prevent
that Umpire O'Day called Merkle out,
the Giants claimed the game by .
score Of 2 to 1.
Ruled Game 1-to-1 Tie.
Had New York been credited with
this victory. the Giants would have
won the championship at the end of
the regular season, but Harry Pulliam
president of the National League, up
held Hank O'Day, and ruled that the
game was IL tie. Pulliam, in turn,
was, upheld by the leagues board of
directors.
1t was decided to let the game of
September % stand in the records as
a tie, and to have 1t played over on
the day following the close OF the
regular schedule. There was iDten-
sive bitterness on both sides, and the
feeling ran high in both New York
and Chicago.
Pittsburgh also was a red-hot con-
tender in that 1908 race. which never
has had an equal in professional base
ball. The Pirates had a chance to
win the penhant on the last day OF
their M hrt In I'll
able game played in Chicago on Sun
day, October 4, they were defeated by
the Cubs by score of to 2.
Had Pittsburgh won this game II
would hare made them champions,
and there would have been no need
of the play-off between New York
and Chicago. This contest, the Pi-
rates most important game, will be
treated later in this series.
Had Three More Games.
That game completed the regular
schedule of the Chicago and Pitts
burg clubs, but the Giants still had
three more games scheduled, with the
sixth place Boston club. New York
needed all three to tie Chicago. The
National League then was confronted
with one Of the weirdest possibilities
ever known to baseball.
"tit tHt 10 lOSe one game
out of three to Boston. and then de-
feat Chicago, in the play-off. q three
corncred tie for first place would
have existed between New York. Chi
cago and Pittsburgh.
Fortunately this possibility was
averted, when the Giants cleaned up
the Braves three straight IL put
the Pirates absolutely out OF the rum
ming, and left IL up to the Giants and
Cubs to struggle for the mastery.
The crowd was the greatest that
ever had seen n ball game at that
time, numbering around $4,000. thou6f,
tho estimate of that time had the
crowd around 10000.
The police closed the gates around 1
o'clock, and there were ss many peo-
pic outside OF the grounds rs within.
Once the police shut the gates, neither
pleadinss nor bribes let anyone with
In those sacred portals