1904....McGraw's World Series"curse" on Boston

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Posted By: David Atkatz

The only people who ever argued that it was a passed ball, rather than a wild pitch, were Chesbro, and after his death, his wife. The New York Times reported that

"Boston scored the winning run in the ninth on a base hit by Criger, Dineen’s sacrifice, Selbach’s out [which advanced Criger to third], and Chesbro’s wild pitch.

Years later, Chesbro stated that

"I knew we had to win that game, and I was working the spit ball over the outside corner. Parent was working for a base-on-balls, and he kept poking the ball foul. The count was 2 and 2, and I decided to put something extra on the ball. I wound up and changed from side arm to overhead. The ball carried like a fast ball and Kleinow missed it. They said it was a wild pitch, and I’ll let it go at that. But I think the ball might have been caught."

In a 1940s interview with *Sporting Life,* New York shortstop Kid Elberfeld stated that the ball went so far over Kleinow's head "he would have needed a stepladder to catch it."

Here is what may be the only surviving scorecard from that game:





And here is a 1901 Pirates reunion ball I won at today's Hunt Auction. Happy Jack's rare signature appears between those of Honus Wagner and Jess Tanehill.