Extra Bases

"Miracle Collapse" 1969 Revisited

On August 7, the Detroit Tigers sat comfortably in first place - 10.5 games in front of the Minnesota Twins.  One week later, the lead was cut in half.  As of this morning, the lead is a scant 1.5 games.  Leyland and crew may not be sounding the alarm; but unless Cinderella rights the runaway carriage, she could find herself with pumpkin seeds between her toes on the outside of the post-season party. 

When baseball fans discuss late season failures, the same teams come up:  The '64 Phillies, the '51 Dodgers, and the '69 Cubs.  Especially the '69 Cubs.  Doug Feldmann has written a new book, "Miracle Collapse:  The 1969 Chicago Cubs," that gives readers a chance to re-live (or experience for the first time) the 1969 pennant race between the Chicago Cubs and the Amazing New York Mets within the context of the social/cultural milieu of the final year of turbulent sixties. 

The strength of the book is in the frequent nostalgic feeling that it generates of "I'd forgot about that!" or "I remember that" as he tells stories about arguably one of the greatest Cub teams of the past fifty years - but whose legacy is that of failure.  Much ink has been spilt over the 1969 season; virtually all of it told from the perspective of the Miracle Mets.  Feldmann's book is different - history told, not by the winners, but by the losers.  As the book progresses, the reader can almost feel the confidence grow as the Cubs take a commanding lead into August and then just as quickly the anxiety and frustration as the team collapses.

Unfortunately, the book does not enjoy the same success in its attempt to place the baseball story within the context of American culture in the late 1960s.  Cudos are appropriate for the attempt; the execution, however, comes up short.

Although some attention is given to the "inconvenient impact" of players leaving the team in mid-season for National Guard or Army Reserve duty, the Vietnam War (and particularly its impact on the sharp divide within American society) is scarcely mentioned.  Race relations are touched upon slightly more but not nearly enough for a book that sought "to weave the happenstances of sport into the milieu of society at the given time." Was baseball only a diversion? Was by serving as an escape from the real problems of life the only place that baseball intersected with American society? 

The book also contains some inaccuracies regarding the historical context that is problematic.  Contrary to the author's presentation of the Charles Manson/Sharon Tate murders in Los Angeles (at page 191), police did not "break the case" in the early morning of August 10. Caretaker William Garretson never identified any of the attackers (because he never saw any of them).  Finally, five people were convicted of the Tate murders - not ten.  More closely related to baseball, baseball's exemption from the antitrust laws did not end in 1976, as claimed on page 238.  These historical inaccuracies do not detract from the quality of the narrative of the 1969 baseball season; however, it can plant seeds of doubt about other historical claims.

"Miracle Collapse." however, is an outstanding effort and a welcome addition to any baseball fan's bookshelf. The stories about some of Chicago's forgotten heroes -Ironman Randy Hundley, Ernie "Let's play two" Banks, Fergie Jenkins, Ron Santo, Don Kessinger (one of the most forgotten of outstanding shortstops of the era), and of course, Leo Durocher - are long overdue and well-told.

On August 7, 1969, the Cubs were 9 games up on the Mets.  By mid-September 1969, the Mets had the Cubs in the rearview mirror and never looked back.  The similarities are frightening to any Tiger fan. 

The good news for us long-denied Tiger fans is that I haven't seen any black cats prowling the field at Comerica Park.

Fans Masquerading as Seats

While much has been written about the absence of fans in South Florida for the surprising Marlins, compared to the all-time worst attendance figure, the Marlins' smallest crowd would seem like Disney World during Spring Break.  I know you are thinking that I am going to dredge up the thousands of fans dressed up as empty seats in Montreal during its last year in 2004.  But you would be wrong.  The record for the lowest attendance at a major league baseball game was set 90 years ago today.

On September 8, 1916, the New York Yankees came to Philadelphia to play the hapless Athletics.  The fans sitting in Shibe Park for the rain-delayed game were outnumbered by the men in uniform.  In fact, when the Yankees were at bat, they had more players on the bench than fans in the seats.  After an 8-2 win over the Yankees, for the only time in major league history, a team was two games back for every fan in attendance.  46 games back of the first place Red Sox and an announced attendance of 23.

Post Script:  The 23 brave fans saw another record that day.  Philadelphia outfielder Wally Schang, a switch-hitter was the first major leaguer to hit home runs in consecutive at bats from different sides of the plate.

The Babe's Last Home Run

May 25, 1935.  Forbes Field, Pittsburgh.  The last place Boston Braves came to Pittsburgh hoping to creep closer to a double digit win total.  10,000 fans came out on this Saturday afternoon to watch a ball game and instead witnessed history.  In the top of the first inning, Babe Ruth - forty years old and out of shape - homered with a teammate on base to give the Braves a 2-0 lead.  Two innings later, Ruth hit another home run again with a man on base, extending the Braves lead to 4-0.  The Pirates scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the score.  In their next at bat, the Braves - thanks to a Ruth single - recaptured the lead.  The lead was short-lived, however; these were the Braves after all.  Pittsburgh scored three more times for a 7-5 lead, setting the stage for the improbable historical moment.

In the top of the seventh, Ruth stepped up to face Pirate pitcher Guy Bush with the bases empty.  Probably 50,000 fans swear that they saw what happened next.  The Babe's 13th hit of the 1935 season, and last of his storied career, soared high over the right field wall, cleared the double deck grandstands, and bounced into the street, rolling to rest in Schenley Park.  Observers called it the longest home run ever hit in Forbes Field.  It was also the last home run that Babe would ever hit.

With his trademark minced steps, Ruth trotted one last time around the bases, crossed the plate, and ran directly into the dugout - the Pirates' dugout.  He sat next to rookie pitcher Mace Brown and said, "Boys, that last one felt good!" 

A few minutes later, Ruth left the Pirates bench, headed to the visitor's clubhouse with the score tied 7-7 (which wouldn't last long as the Pirates scored three times in the bottom of the inning in route to a 11-7 win). 

A week later, Babe Ruth was done.  His last hit had been one for the ages.