Keith Olberman on Fred Merkle's boner, 105 years later

[slipk1068]

Originally Posted by Sean

It's true, McGraw is considered a great manager because he looked for, and in some cases created, any possible advantage for his team. But the one time the tables are turned the Giants never stopped complaining. Some like KO are still doing it to this day.

Well lets be fair. Nobody touched 2nd base in those days when the game was over, and I mean NOBODY. Merkle suffered because the fans pour onto the field after every the game to exit the park in center field. Game was over, and it is VERY LIKELY the ball Evers touched 2nd base with wasn't the same ball.

Should have been a memo sent to every team beginning in 1909 that this rule will be enforced.

[Sean]

It is certainly fair that Merkle not be blamed for doing something that was common practice at the time.
My objection is toward the Giants and their fans who can't accept that they lost because Johhny Evers found a way within the rules to get an advantage on them. Evers was the first to think of this technicality, but that doesn't make it a new rule or even a new interpretation. The rule had never been enforce in a manner inconsistant with this result. No one had noticed that a run could be prevented in this manner prior to Evers figuring this out.
Evers simply came up with an idea within the rules. There is always someone who comes up with an idea for the first time. As an example, consider the double-switch. Someone was the first to use it. That doesn't make it unfair. That just makes this unknown (at least by me) manager very clever.I salute him the same way I salute Evers. They found a way to gain an advantage within the rules. Good for them.

[slipk1068]

I wish the grounds crew ran on the field and gathered the bases and put them in the equipment shed. Then, Merkle is supposed to go in the shed and figure out which base is second base? Maybe he would touch all the bases in the shed just to play it safe? Hope he got in there before Evers who would also have to touch all the bases in the equipment shed. When does the game end? When THOUSANDS of people are pouring onto the field to exit the ballpark?

Yes good for Evers. Smart play which no doubt, McGraw would have done in a second if he thought of it and had the opportunity. It is very unlikely though that Evers had the game ball when he touched 2nd base. So when does the game end? Everyone thought the game was over except Evers and O'Day.

If this technicality was going to be enforced, it shouldn't have been done in such an important game without informing both teams. Let them know when they present the lineup cards before the game. I believe the NL and umpire O'day had it in for McGraw and the Giants. McGraw was hated by umpires and league officials. They found a way to punish the Giants and used it.

AWESOME Merkle collection BTW

[Sean]

Originally Posted by slipk1068

AWESOME Merkle collection BTW

Thanks. You would never guess from all those that I'm a Cubs fan.