Major League Baseball Player. He played Major League baseball as a first baseman for seventeen seasons (1894 to 1909, 1911) with the Boston Beaneaters (today's Atlanta Braves) and the New York Giants. One of the best defensive first basemen from the turn-of-the century baseball era after initially starting out as a catcher, he innovated tactics like playing away from the first base bag and foul line. During his fourteen years with Boston he helped them become one of the powerhouse teams of the 1890s, with the team winning the National League Pennant in 1897 and 1898. He also led the National League in assists for a first baseman eight times – seven consecutively. From 1905 to 1907 he was Boston's player-manager, but the team did not fare well until his managerial tenure. In December 1907 he was traded to the New York Giants in an eight-player deal. In 1908 he helped the Giants contend for first place with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, only missing a single game. That game, however, turned out to be the controversial "Merkle Boner" game in September 23 against the Cubs. Fred Tenney was forced out of the lineup for that game due to severe lower back pain, and rookie Fred Merkle took his place. In the bottom of the ninth inning Merkle failed to step on second base when the winning run crossed the plate for the Giants, and was called out in one of the most controversial plays in Major League baseball history. He was released by the Giants in 1909, signed as a player by Boston for the 1911 season, and released for good after that season was over. His career totals were 1,994 games played, 2,231 hits, 1,278 runs, 22 home runs, and a career .294 batting average. After his playing days he became a sportswriter and insurance company executive.
Major League Baseball Player. He played Major League baseball as a first baseman for seventeen seasons (1894 to 1909, 1911) with the Boston Beaneaters (today's Atlanta Braves) and the New York Giants. One of the best defensive first basemen from the turn-of-the century baseball era after initially starting out as a catcher, he innovated tactics like playing away from the first base bag and foul line. During his fourteen years with Boston he helped them become one of the powerhouse teams of the 1890s, with the team winning the National League Pennant in 1897 and 1898. He also led the National League in assists for a first baseman eight times – seven consecutively. From 1905 to 1907 he was Boston's player-manager, but the team did not fare well until his managerial tenure. In December 1907 he was traded to the New York Giants in an eight-player deal. In 1908 he helped the Giants contend for first place with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, only missing a single game. That game, however, turned out to be the controversial "Merkle Boner" game in September 23 against the Cubs. Fred Tenney was forced out of the lineup for that game due to severe lower back pain, and rookie Fred Merkle took his place. In the bottom of the ninth inning Merkle failed to step on second base when the winning run crossed the plate for the Giants, and was called out in one of the most controversial plays in Major League baseball history. He was released by the Giants in 1909, signed as a player by Boston for the 1911 season, and released for good after that season was over. His career totals were 1,994 games played, 2,231 hits, 1,278 runs, 22 home runs, and a career .294 batting average. After his playing days he became a sportswriter and insurance company executive.
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