The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-04
Merkle, Snodgrass, Zimmerman Not Guilty of "Boners"
By ERNEST BARCELLA
Jnitd Press Staff Correspondent

NShASu ANSo SSpA SOAASSPOAAAShSI
 Boston, Jan. 4-(UP)-Letting the sports chips fall where they may: Gin which three of basebals prize "boners" are pooh-poohed by some of the old timers).
 First of the "boners" to come be- fore the jury was that pulled by Fred Merkle at the Polo Grounds in New York September g, 1908. AS things turned out the play cost the Giants pennant.
 And here's how it happened: The Giants and Chicago Cubs were neck and neck coming down the stretch. .. In the crucial game between the two teams September B, the score was tied at 1-all going into the final frame. .. There were two out Mccormick was on third and Mer- kle on first. . Birdwell slapped clean single to center scoring Mc- Cormick with what would have been the winning run, but Merkle turned and ran to the clubhouse before going to second.
 Johnny Evers, playing second for the Cubs, called for the ball and stepped on second, forcing Merkle and leaving the score tied. When the game was replayed the Cubs won, AZ, and clinched the pennant.
 Fred Followed Custom"
 Discussing the celebrated play to- day, President Bob Quinn of the Boston Bees contended that Merkle was. justified in not touching second and that his failure to do so couldn't be called boner then. .. At that time" Quinn asserted, it was cus- tomary for a player not to advance to the necessary base if teammate knocked in the winning run with hit on which there could be no close play. :. Merkle was just fol- lowing custom"
 Merkle, Meyers at Fault
 Next case: Fred Snodgrass' fa- nous huff" in the deciding game of the 1912 world series between the victorious Boston Red Sox and the Giants. =. This play can't be classi- fled as "boner" rather it was mechanical error but let Duffy Lewis give his version. Duffy, now travelling secretary of the Bees, is well qualified too he played in that game.
 They made big fuss about SnodgraSs' huff, but the fact is that Merkle and Chief Meyers pulled an error of omission that was even more costly. . Here's how it hap pened:
 The Giants scored one run in the 10th to take 2-1 lead. |. In our half, Engle batted for Joe Wood and flied to Snodgrass who dropped the ball. Engle reached second on the play. :. . Snodgrass then caught Hooper's fly Yerkes walked [. Iris Speaker sent up a pop foul. .. Both Merkle and Mey- CTS let it drop between them. :. Either could have caught it making two out and with myself coming up next, the game might have been over because I wasn't hitting so well in that series even though I batted All e' AOo VI AuAAo QIA4 HE CllC 1CS Q1dI season.
 But Speaker, given a life, came through with a single, scoring Engle with the tying run. Yerkes took third and Speaker went to second on the throw in. I walked, then Gardner flied to Devore scoring the winning run. So you see Merkle and Meyers really made a more im- portant boner than Snodgrass."
 Plate Not Covered
 Final case: The one in which Ed die Collins then of the Chicago White Sox was chased across the plate with the winnin grun in a 1917 world series game by third baseman Charlie Zimmerman of the Giants. Zimmerman was tabbed the coat .. but veteran baseball writer contends he wasn't. .. "Zim- merman had no alternative" he said. "Why? We'll, nobody was cov- ering home plate!"
 Jury dismissed.