October 4, 1908: Cubs win to force a winner take all showdown with the Giants for the 1908 pennant.
In front of a record crowd of 30,247 at the West Side Grounds the Cubs eliminated the Pittsburgh Pirates from playoff contention, while also securing at least a tie for the National League pennant after their 5-2 win.
This game is a great example of how in a lot of ways the 1908 season launched baseball into America's forefront as the National Pastime. Two super-close pennant races in both leagues caused record crowds throughout the entire league, boosting profits (and player salaries to an extent as well). Baseball was flush with legendary talent in their prime too ... Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, Walter Johnson, and Mordecai Brown just to name a few. Needless to say, it was a great time to be a baseball fan (and owner).
A record crowd of 30, 247 on October 4, 1908
Speaking of Mordecai Brown, he took the hill for the Cubs today in this winner take all game. It was the final game of the regular season for the Pirates, so they needed a win to keep their hopes alive, as did the Cubs, who only had one game remaining (the Merkle makeup of course).
The Pirates went with their ace as well, Vic Willis, who actually hadn't pitched in a week simply so he could be rested for this game. Meanwhile, Brown was going on a whopping one day's rest after pitching Friday in Cincinnati. (I should point out that Willis and Brown are both members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, so this was a pretty badass game to watch.)
The Cubs got out to an early lead in the first thanks to a leadoff double by Jimmy Sheckard, who then scored on a Frank Schulte single to right center. The Cubs then added another run in the 5th thanks to two Pirates' errors, giving them a 2-0 lead.
Pittsburgh fought back in the top of the 6th to tie the game 2-2, but the Cubs immediately answered in the bottom of the inning, and again Mordecai Brown gets the credit. With two outs and nobody on base, Joe Tinker clubbed a double to left field. The Pirates then intentionally walked Johnny Kling to set up a force play, and also get to the next bat ... light-hitting pitcher Mordecai Brown.
Three Finger managed to bat .207 on the season, so we're not talking about Bartolo Colon-esque hitting skills, but his average was still lower than any regular Cubs batter. That said, Brownie laced a single to right to score Tinker with what ends up bring the game winning run.
I heard that!
The Cubs added another run in both the 7th and 8th and Brown kept the Pirates quiet for the rest of the game. All told, the 6th inning was his only blemish en route to a complete game win where he was also 2-4 at the plate. I think it's safe to say he gets Player of the Game recognition in this one!
My three fingers are better than your five
So here's one of the wacky parts of the wild ending of the 1908 season ... the Cubs have clinched at least a tie, but now have to sit and wait while the Giants play an entire three game series against the Boston Doves. New York needs to win all three of these games to force a winner take all tiebreaker game against Chicago.
In addition to that, they even stood a good chance of being eliminated from the playoffs by the weather. There was rain in the forecast during the three game series, and the way the rules were written in 1908 Wednesday, October 7th was the last day of the regular season NO MATTER WHAT. So if their game on that day got rained out, they weren't allowed to make it up. It was simply cancelled and the Cubs would be declared the champions. Lame!
Fortunately for the Giants, the rain will hold off for this series, and fortunately for us, that means we get to relive an absolutely epic battle that went down at the Polo Grounds on October 8, 1908. See you then!
