Salt Lake Tribune | 1914-02-22 | Page 35 | When Merkle Did Not Touch Second

' WHEN HUE DID IDT TP SECOND MorHecai Browri Says Artie Hofmari Should Have Credit for Play. A St. Louis boy, Arlio Hofman, now with the Cardinals, should havo bcon hailed baseball's hero when Fred Mer-klo Mer-klo failed to touch second baso, instead of .Johnny Evcrs. This is the interesting inter-esting gossip handed out by Mordocai Brown, who, with Trojan. .Ta-wn, Hofman Hof-man and many other diamond stars, has been handed tho hook by Charles W. Murphy. Tho Merklo incident is history; still it cost tho New York' Giants tho 1910 National league pennant; gavo tho title to the Chicago Cubs. Also tho alertness alert-ness of a scribe hoaped tho crown upon Johnny Evors in ''Failing to Touch Second," when all tho fame and glory belonged to Artie Hofman. Tho current, ousting of Johnn3' Evers as manager of tho Cubs was being discussed dis-cussed by "Miner" Brown and a croup of Federal leaguo fans at SL Louis. As Brown was a member of the Cubs for years, with Evors and other diamond dia-mond artists, a scries of questions was hurled at tho manager of the Feds. Brown always referred to Trojan Jawn as a marvel, and one of tho greatest players in basoball. And it was during tho fanfest that Mordecai lot out tho information of tho exact play during that memorable garao. Here's the Real Play. "Evors knows as much baseball as any man in tho game," stated. Brown. "Ho's a quick thinker, always thinking of some play to stop tho opposition, but ho won credit whero it wasn't deserved de-served on that Morklo stuff. " Tt wasn't Evers who saw it, but Artio Hofman, and as long as I live T'll novor forget the seraniblo on tho Polo grounds field. Evers mado tho futout, and' he got it because he was ho only ono near second. Still, Hofman Hof-man was Iho ono who started it. "With McCormick on third and Mer-kle Mer-kle on first. Al Bridwoll shot a single to center. McCormick raced homo with tho run in the ninth inning that would havo beaten us and won tho pennant for tho Giants. Bui. Morkle, gottiug near second, didn't touch tho bag and raced for tho clubhouse. "Hofman was quick to boo tho situation. situ-ation. He picked, up the ball, saw Merklo running to the clubhouse and tho mammoth crowd rushing outo tho field. Hofman howled to Tinker and threw the ball in to socond baso. The ball hit Tinker on the back and bounded bound-ed toward left field. Evers, Near Bag, Got Ball. "Then Steinfcldt and McGinnity tried to get tho bnll and started their first fist fight. One of "em threw it away and was grabbed by somo spectator spec-tator on tho field. Floyd Kroh took it away from the fan and in a wild scramble throw it toward; the second baso. "Evers was standing near the bag, got tho ball, stopped on the sack, and then tho piny was finished. "But Hofrnan was overlooked completely com-pletely in tho in6ido play. Put that same game ovor again, and how many outfielders oven would havo mado an attempt to got near tho ball? You've Been it a dozon times, tho winning run on third when a hit goes to the outfield out-field and; all of 'our start running for tho clubhouse with, never tho thought of finding, another Merklo play. "Hofman didn't hesitate a second. Evers got tho putout, a wideawake scribo saw tho clianco to mako Johnny famous, and money for both, so Evers was tho author of 'Touching Second' when Artio Hofman enginoorod all of tho insido. stuff." John Too Temperamental. Whilo admitting Evcrs a groat ball- I flayer. Brown declares iho "Koystone ing" far too temperamental to havo boon a success 38 a manager. "1 never saw anybody fight harder to win than John," continued Brown. "Ho'b on his toes all tho time, and without tho managerial job was a nice follow. "But the boys I met last summer told me John was nagging all of them constantly. When a. player pulls tho wrong stuff he's going to take the call-down call-down and deserves it. but, gee, when you're doing the righx thing and then fet tho shove it's going to create a ad feeling, and a manager isn't going to get his players hustling.'