Wednesday, September 16, 2020

The Famous Replay Game of 1908

The Cubs and Giants tied at 98–55 in the regular season and required a makeup game to decide the NL pennant. The teams had to replay the tied game on October 6th on the 8th. a lot of fans don't know about October 6 game the Cubs and Giants were tied in the bottom of the ninth 1-1 this is how the bottom of ninth played out

Cy Seymour led off with a groundout to second. Art Devlin singled, putting the winning run on first base with one out. Moose McCormick grounded sharply to second and Devlin was forced out, but Devlin's aggressive slide prevented a double play and allowed McCormick to reach first base safely on a fielder's choice. With two outs and McCormick on first, Fred Merkle came up to bat. Merkle, who only had 47 plate appearances in the entire 1908 season, singled down the right-field line. McCormick, the potential winning run, advanced to third base. Shortstop Al Bridwell came up to bat next with two outs and runners at the corners. Bridwell swung at the first pitch from Pfiester, a fastball, and drilled an apparent single into center field. McCormick ran home from third, and the game appeared to be over, a 2–1 Giants victory. 

Giants fans poured out of the stands and mobbed the field; fans sitting behind home plate customarily crossed the field to exit the ballpark via the outfield in this era. Merkle, advancing from first base, saw the fans swarming onto the playing field. He turned back to the dugout without ever touching second. Official rule 4.09 states that "A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made ... by any runner being forced out".

Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers saw an opportunity to have the rule enforced. He shouted to center fielder Solly Hofman, who, though the field was filled with fans, retrieved the ball and threw it to Evers. According to one account, Joe McGinnity, a Giants pitcher who was coaching first base that day, intercepted the ball and threw it away into the crowd of fans. Evers apparently retrieved the ball and touched second base, although some reports stated that he substituted a different ball. Umpires Emslie and O'Day hurriedly consulted and O'Day, who saw the play from home plate, ruled that Merkle had not touched second base, and on that basis Emslie ruled him out on a force, and O'Day ruled that the run did not score. The fans who had run onto the field were so hostile to O'Day that police officers rushed into the crowd to protect him. Unable to quickly clear the field of fans, O'Day ruled the game over on account of darkness. The game ended a 1–1 tie. 

Three fingers tell the story years later

October 8th Game

 
 

 Well the cubs played well early and won 4-2 for the right to play in the world series

Here is the October 9th article





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