September 4, 1908: Cubs lose a controversial game, but may actually win the World Series because of

OK work with me here ... The Cubs lost a controversial game today, but I actually think that by losing this game, it allows them to eventually win the World Series.

Allow me to explain ...

The Cubs and Pirates battled today in a serious pitchers' duel between Chicago's Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown and Pittsburgh's Vic Willis. Both pitchers held their opponents scoreless for nine innings, with neither offense able to do much of anything all day long. Then, in the bottom of the 10th, the Pirates managed to put together a serious threat to win the game.

Pirates player-manager Fred Clark led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. The 1908 MLB batting champion Honus Wagner and his .354 average strode to the plate next and laced a double to right field. Why they even bothered pitching to him I have no idea, since he was far and away the best hitter in the league, but I'm probably in no place to criticize managerial decisions from 108 years ago. Luckily for the Cubs, Wagner hit the ball so hard that Clarke was forced to stop at third base.

Ho hum ... I'm awesome

So now with second and third and one out, Brown promptly plunked the next batter Warren Gill (remember this name) to load the bases with one out. Second basemen Ed Abbaticchio stepped to the plate next and Brown fought him hard and finally managed to strike him out on a perfect curve ball that froze Abbey in his tracks.

This is where things get interesting ...

Outfielder Chief Wilson steps to the plate and on the very first pitch laces a single to center, scoring Clarke and supposedly ending the game with a 1-0 win for Pittsburgh. Here's the thing though ... remember the runner on first, Warren Gill? Yeah well he thought the game was over, and immediately started trotting off the field without ever touching second base.

I'm just happy I'm not Merkle

Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers spotted this, called for the ball, and stepped on second for what SHOULD have been a force out, thus negating the runner from scoring from second.

The only problem? The umpire refused to call Gill out and said the game was over.

Not surprisingly, Evers went nuts. All the Cubs did. They lodged an official protest with the league and demanded the game be thrown out. Unfortunately, National President Harry Pulliam upholds the call and the Cubs lose a heartbreaker 1-0.

So how does this let them WIN the World Series, you ask?

Well, come back here on September 23rd for a game that went down in baseball lore as "Merkle's Boner" and you will see EXACTLY why this game today matters.

In a hotly contested pennant race between the Cubs and Giants, New York first baseman Fred Merkle will do the EXACT same thing as Warren Gill. Evers is even the same player to spot it, and umpire Hank O'Day is even the same umpire working the game. This time however, he will be called out, the game gets tossed, and it allows the Cubs to force a tiebreaker game at the end of the season against the Giants.

I can't help but think that today's game is what thrusts the rule into the spotlight and allows the umpire to make a correct call later in the season that completely changes the face of the 1908 World Series.

So there!

Umpire Hank O'Day

Needless to say, today was a wild one, and despite the tough loss for the Cubs, I think you now might be on board with me that this LOSS actually saves the season, right?

The Giants do win today, so the Cubs are now 74-49 on the year and trailing first place by two games. Another game against the Pirates tomorrow in Pittsburgh before both teams head back to Chicago for two more. Things are really starting to get interesting!