Charles Dryden, "Game Ends in Tie May Go to Cubs," Chicago Daily Tribune v. LXVIII, no. 230 (Thursday September 24, 1908); 12.

GAME INDS IN TIE MAY GO TO CUBS.

"Bush League" Baserunner Costs Giants a 2 to 1 Victory in the Ninth.

DISPUTE UP TO PULLIAM.

Chicago Claims Forfeit on Account of Interference; O'Day Says "No Contest."

By Charles Dryden.

New York, Sept. 23, 1908-Minor league brains lost the Giants' game today after they had it cleanly and fairly won by a score of 2 to 1. In the ninth round Merkle did a bonehead base-running stunt identical with the recent exhibition which Mr. Gill, also a minor leaguer, gave at Pittsburgh three weeks ago. But this time "Hank" O'Day had his eagle eye peeled, and the winning run which the Giants compiled in the ninth inning was tossed into the discard.

O'Day ruled "no contest" and, as the field could not be cleared, the game may be forfeited to the Cubs.

It must chagrin the Giants aplenty to think how they kiboshed themselves. In a swell combat, worth going miles to see, Mathewson had the better of Pfiester, and the game looked as safe as the Bank of England when Bridwell tore off what should have been a hit in the ninth.

Tinker's home run in the fifth was all the Cubs bad in the way of visible assets. Steinfeldt's bum heave and a couple of singles knotted the count in the sixth after a most gallant defense. Then came the bonehead finish, which left the bugs puzzled and wondering. And they won't know what happened until they see the public prints-i.e., newspapers-in the morning.

Pulliam to Award Game.

President Pulliam would not make a statement tonight, but he intimated the game would not be played over. That means either that the contest goes to the Cubs by forfeit because of the crowd on the field, or that Pulliam will overrule O'Day's decision that the run in the ninth did not count. This would give the game to New York.

Round nine for the Giants opened with the out of Seymour. Then Devlin singled and McCormick forced him. Merkle's safety to right put McCormick on third. On the first ball pitched, Bridwell pasted a neat but not gaudy single to center. McCormick crossed the plate, but Merkle, who was on first base, ran half way down to second, then turned, and hotfooted it for the clubhouse.

Unless the said Merkle planted a hoof on second base, Bridwell could not be credited with a hit, and McCormick could not score. The Cubs and Hank O'Day were primed for the situation, having been through it once before in Pittsburgh. With one voice the Cubs set up a yelp like a cage of hungry hyenas, and O'Day, working behind the plate, ran to the pitching slab to see what had come off at second base. Capt. Donlin realized the danger about to overtake the Giants, so he set off after the fat-headed Merkle, while McGinnity, who was coaching at third base, butted into the fracas coming off at the middle cushion.

Facts Gleaned from Survivors.

The facts in the case gleaned from active participants and survivors are these: Hoffman fielded Bridwell's knock and threw to Evers for a force play on the absent Merkle. But McGinnity, who was Dot in the game, cut in ahead and grabbed the ball before it reached the eager Trojan. Three Cubs from as many directions landed on the iron man at the same time and jolted the ball from his cruel grasp. It rolled among the spectators who had swarmed upon the diamond like an army of starving potato bugs.

At this thrilling juncture "Kid" Kroh, the demon southpaw, swarmed upon the human potato bugs and knocked six of them galley-west. The triumphant Kroh passed the ball to Steinfeldt after cleaning up the gang that had It. Tinker wedged in and the ball was conveyed to Evers for the force out of Merkle, while Capt. Donlin was still some distance off towing that brilliant young gent by the neck.

Some say Merkle eventually touched second base, but not until be had been forced out by Hoffman to McGinnity, to six potato bulis to Kroh, to some more Cubs, and the shrieking, triumphant Mr. Evers, the well-known Troy shoe dealer. There have been some complicated plays in baseball, but we do not recall one just like this in a career of years of monkeying with the national pastime.

"Cops" Balk Peerless Leader.

Meanwhile a more turbulent scene was being enacted elsewhere. Peerless Leader Chance ran at O'Day to find out what Hank bad to say, but the sparrow cops, specials, two hundred cops and Pinks-slang for Pinkertons-thought Chance was going to bite Hank on the ankle. Half a hundred men in uniform surrounded the P.L., and thousands of bugs surrounded them. Bill Marshall, an expert on bacteria, and Del Howard rushed in to help the Peerless Leader. Another squad of cops had O'Day in tow several yards away.

Hank didn't know Chance wanted to converse with him, and they couldn't get together anyhow. Finally the cops got O'Day into a coop under the stand and tried to slam the door in the face of the Peerless Leader. He jammed his robust frame in the opening and defied the sparrow lasers. Chance later got to O'Day who, said Emslie, working on the bases, did not see Te second-base play because of the crowd, but Hank informed Chance that McCormick's run didn't count.

Still later, Hank submitted gracefully to an interview by the war scribes. He said Merkle was forced at second base and the game ended in a tie, 1 to 1. None of the Giants remained to make public statements. Part of the crowd lifted a player in white to their shoulders and bore him to the clubhouse. The Giant thus honored was not Mr. Merkle. He left long before the trouble started, and his departure caused it. Some base runners should have a groove cut for them so they couldn't go wrong.

O'Day "On the Job"

O'Day made the correct ruling. He had been through one barrowing experience along the same lines at Pittsburgh, where a situation similar in every respect came up, including the minor leaguer on first base, and Hank stood by to see what came off. President Pulliam was present and saw what transpired. Under the rules of baseball, a run cannot score when the third out is forced out, even if private citizens, n6e bugs, and players not in the game assist in the final play. […]