2. Game 8, October 16, 1912. New York Giants at Boston Red Sox
Tris Speaker vs. Christy Mathewson. Change in Championship Probability: 50.52 percent.
In entry No. 21, Fred Merkle’s heroics during the 10th inning of the eighth game of the 1912 World Series were spelled out. Merkle’s base hit off Smoky Joe Wood sent Red Murray home with the run that gave New York a 2-1 lead and moved the Giants within three Christy Mathewson outs of a World Series victory.
On this day, however, there was room for more than one hero. All that hero, Tris Speaker, needed was the heavy-handed intervention of fate.
Boston’s first hitter was Clyde Engle, a light hitting reserve tasked to pinch hit for Sox pitcher Smoky Joe Wood.
Engle was the best of Red Sox manager Bill Carrigan’s few bench options. A. 234 hitter in occasional regular season duty, he had batted just twice previously in the World Series. He did have one glorious moment, a two-run producing pinch hit double in the second inning of Game 5, but by then the Sox already were down five, and they would lose 5-2 to Rube Marquard.
Engle managed nothing more conspicuous than a medium fly ball to center. But the usually reliable Giants outfielder Fred Snodgrass inexplicably dropped it, allowing the fortunate Engle to plant the potential tying run at second base.
As much as one can do so, Snodgrass redeemed himself on the next play, racing back to snag Harry Hooper’s line drive to deep center. Engle, assuming the ball would not be caught and intent on scoring the tying run, had not tagged up, so he could not advance when Snodgrass did make the play. The next hitter, Steve Yerkes, walked, bringing up Speaker, Boston’s most feared hitter.
At the outset of a Hall of Fame career, Speaker had batted .383 for Boston, with league-leading totals in doubles (53), home runs (10) and on base average (.464). This time, however, he managed nothing more useful than a foul pop along the first base line.
But Merkle, New York’s first baseman, seemed initially confused as to whether he or catcher Chief Meyers would make the play. Seeing Merkle hesitate, Meyers dashed for the ball but could not reach it.
The Giants would rue giving Speaker a second chance. He lined Mathewson’s next pitch into right field for a base hit, Engle coming around to score the tying run and Yerkes stopping at third.
That hit changed the victory prospects from 66 percent in New York’s favor to 85 percent in Boston’s favor. Larry Gardner, the next hitter, carried a fly ball deep enough to right field to end the drama.