Mistakes are a big part of sports history. Make one and you could be remembered forever or somehow even forgotten.
Although it happened a long time ago, Fred Merkle will always be known for costing his New York Giants the 1908 National League pennant and a chance to play in the World Series.
Merkle was famously called out in a contest against the Chicago Cubs during September for not touching second base after a teammate scored what would have been the game-winning run.
With Merkel being out, the game was ruled a tie. The situation forced another contest at the end the season to determine which team got the ticket to the World Series. The Cubs were victorious over the Giants and went on to beat the Detroit Tigers in the Fall Classic.
Three years later, Merkle was involved in another mistake during the 1911 World Series.
However, this blunder worked out in a positive way for Merkle and the Giants.
On Oct. 25, New York and the Philadelphia A’s were battling in the fifth game, which would end in a 4-3 walk-off win for the Giants on a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning by Merkle.
It’s awesome that Merkle was able to experience a moment like that after his infamous miscue, but the player that “scored” the winning run is the guy who should be remembered for his huge mistake that was missed the A’s.
Today, we would have a review, umpires with headsets and endless replays. Back then, apparently it was time to leave.
Larry Doyle is the only player in the history the World Series to score a run without touching home plate.
The headline in a story the next day in the Elmira Star-Gazette from New York perhaps is the most telling … “Doyle Fails Like Merkle But Gets By.”
It was reported in the story that future Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem would have called Doyle out had the A’s appealed the play.
Since the A’s didn’t respond, except by heading to their locker room, Klem declared the game over as the crowd already on the field at Brush Stadium, which would later be known as the Polo Grounds.
Unfortunately for New York, the Giants didn’t capitalize on the situation as Philadelphia would clinch the World Series title with a 13-2 win in Shibe Park the next day in game six.
MVP Season in 1912
Doyle played 13 seasons in the major leagues mostly with the Giants from 1907-1920. He was with the Cubs for nine games in 1916 and then stayed with Chicago the following season. After the 1917 season, he was traded to the Boston Braves and then shipped back to the Giants before the opener in 1918.
During his tenure as the second baseman and captain of the Giants, New York lost in the World Series three straight times from 1911-1913.
In 1912, Doyle was named the winner of the Chalmers Award as the Most Valuable Player in the National League as he edged out Honus Wagner of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
That season, the New York native batted .330, hit 10 homers and knocked in 91 runs.
Doyle won the NL batting title in 1915 with a .320 average, while leading the league with 189 hits and 45 doubles. He also led the NL with 25 triples in 1911.
Even with all of those individual accolades, Doyle thankfully didn’t have to suffer for a moment in time that would have been a monumental mistake.