Cubs History: Merkle's Boner

[kente777]

I found this little bit of Cub's history very interesting.

 

1908: Merkle's Boner

 

This one's the most famous of all goofs. On Sept. 23, 1908, 19-year-old Giants infielder Fred Merkle came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning of a tie game against the Cubs. Merkle singled, moving teammate Moose McCormick to third base. The next batter, Al Bridwell, also singled, scoring McCormick and presumably ending the game, as fans streamed onto the field in celebration. Thinking the game was over, Merkle returned to the dugout, not bothering to touch second base. Remembering a little-known rule, Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers retrieved a ball and touched second base, prompting the umpire to rule Merkle out on a force play. The winning run was wiped away, making it a tie game again. Since play couldn't resume with fans all over the field, the game was declared an official tie. The Cubs would go on to beat the Giants on the final day of the season, giving them the pennant they never would've had if not for Merkle's epic mistake. (If this happened today, ESPN would make the Michael Vick story look tame by comparison, John Kruk's head would explode, and Merkle would be declared almost as big a choker as A-Rod.)

[minnesotacubsfan]

I found this little bit of Cub's history very interesting.

 

1908: Merkle's Boner

 

This one's the most famous of all goofs. On Sept. 23, 1908, 19-year-old Giants infielder Fred Merkle came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning of a tie game against the Cubs. Merkle singled, moving teammate Moose McCormick to third base. The next batter, Al Bridwell, also singled, scoring McCormick and presumably ending the game, as fans streamed onto the field in celebration. Thinking the game was over, Merkle returned to the dugout, not bothering to touch second base. Remembering a little-known rule, Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers retrieved a ball and touched second base, prompting the umpire to rule Merkle out on a force play. The winning run was wiped away, making it a tie game again. Since play couldn't resume with fans all over the field, the game was declared an official tie. The Cubs would go on to beat the Giants on the final day of the season, giving them the pennant they never would've had if not for Merkle's epic mistake. (If this happened today, ESPN would make the Michael Vick story look tame by comparison, John Kruk's head would explode, and Merkle would be declared almost as big a choker as A-Rod.)

 

ITS A SIIIGGNN!!!

 

 

love the Kruk reference....

[erik316wttn]

And Merkle is the only Major Leaguer to come out of my hometown.

[rocket]

so even our world series victory 99 years ago was bs. go cubs.

[jjgman21]

there's alot of interesting context missing from that version of the story. first, it seems incomprehensible that the umpire would allow Evers to record this out. Merkle's boner was especially bonerish? because only a couple weeks before, this same thing happened and the league made it quite clear that a runner in Merkle's situation had to go and touch his base.

 

a second interesting tidbit is that Evers had to beat the crap out of the fan who got the ball after coming onto the field.

 

 

 

I've said for many years that if there is any curse, it is the curse of Merkle's boner. Cubs got a bit of a break in 1908, and have been paying for it ever since.

Edited September 27, 2007 by jjgman21

[minnesotacubsfan]

so even our world series victory 99 years ago was bs. go cubs.

 

nope. see back then the Giants were the team that always choked or were cursed. 1908 was the year it was passed on to us.

[jjgman21]

so even our world series victory 99 years ago was bs. go cubs.

 

yes and no.

 

yes because it's kind of a lame way to change the outcome of a game. no, because as I mentioned, the league was quite clear about this and the rule was fresh in everyone's mind.

[OleMissCub]

This is the central story of the new book that came our recently Crazy 08

 

Very good book about those old Cubs teams, etc. Frank Chance was one tough hombre btw.

[TruffleShuffle]

i don't want to hear about some guy's boner

[chuckywang]

Man, that's one hard boner to swallow.

[chuckywang]

 

a second interesting tidbit is that Evers had to beat the crap out of the fan who got the ball after coming onto the field.

 

 

Other versions of the story had him picking up a different ball altogether during the on-field chaos.

[Lockes Eye Scar]

Man, that's one hard boner to swallow.

 

it's the biggest boner I've seen. No other boners compare

[soccer10k]

i don't want to hear about some guy's boner

 

I'm surprised it took this long for somebody to make a boner joke.

[NewUserName]

My neighbor is named Merckle. He has something wrong with his penis where he always got a boner. So they had to surgically put a valve in that controlled the flow of blood. So everytime he wants to do it he has to push a button in his stomach to make it hard. When he is done he pushes it again to bring it down.

 

Just kidding, except I do have a neighbor named Merckle and I have heard a story about another guy with the penis thing.

 

Back to the main subject. I have also read reports that Merckle actually made it to 2nd base. It is a real compelling story. I might pick up that book about 08.

[CubmanPi]

I've said for many years that if there is any curse, it is the curse of Merkle's boner. Cubs got a bit of a break in 1908, and have been paying for it ever since.

So you believe that for the las hundred years, the Cubs have been getting screwed by Merkle's boner?

 

http://blogs.chron.com/specialfeatures/archives/beavis.jpg

[Sammy Sofa]

It's always crazy where you'll see boners pop up.

[TruffleShuffle]

Man, that's one hard boner to swallow.

 

it's the biggest boner I've seen. No other boners compare

 

except for chucky's wang

[Sammy Sofa]

http://www.comicbookgirl.com/posts/boner.gif

[Ding Dong Johnson]

just stopping by to say boner

[NCCubFan]

This is the central story of the new book that came our recently Crazy 08

I read that book, and it's a good one. I actually made a thread about it (in Social, I believe) when it came out. Merkle was actually quite a good player but will forever be remembered for that one boneheaded play (much like Bill Buckner and his error in the 1986 World Series). Merkle played for the Cubs later in his career.

[illiniguy]

This is the central story of the new book that came our recently Crazy 08

 

Very good book about those old Cubs teams, etc. Frank Chance was one tough hombre btw.

I should have known you would have read this one. I just finished it. We won. Being as no one was alive to see it, I assume it is fantasy.

[chuckywang]

I love the dichotomy in this thread: every post is either about serious baseball history or juvenile bathroom humor.

[Magnetic Curses]

i believe the proper term for the event was "The Merkle Boner" and not "Merkle's Boner".

 

there is no ownership of said boner.

[Coach C]

Well, either way, credit the Cubs on this' week performance, and that performance could be a finalist in the Trojan-Enz Boner of the Week Award.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

Merkle played for the Cubs later in his career.

 

Why does this not surprise me in any way?