It’s Friday afternoon! Time for another Austin College Roo Tale. Yes, yes. I know. I’ve got a lot of friends who are Rangers fans. And they may not enjoy this story. The Rangers’ day will come. Just not yet.
Some professional sports fans bask in the glory. Yankees. Celtics. Patriots. Others endure futility, sometimes for an extended period of time. But the sports gods can eventually be merciful, and bring long overdue relief.
Earlier this year, the city of Cleveland ended a 52-year period of professional title drought when the Cavaliers won an NBA title. In 1994, the New York Rangers ended a 54-year skid and hoisted the Stanley cup. And my beloved Boston Red Sox reversed the curse in 2004 after 86 years of Bambino trade punishment.
But nobody, NOBODY suffers like fans of the Chicago Cubs.
I lived in Luckett Hall in the fall of 1989. The Cubbies made the post season, but would fall to the Giants in the NLCS. I recall watching one of those games in Craig Roberts’s room. Poor Cubs. 81 years without a championship.
Make that 108 years now. There is not a single resident of Cook County, Illinois who was alive when the Cubs last celebrated a championship. It’s a streak unmatched by any organization.
Explanations for the curse vary.
Most common is the curse of the Billy Goat. During the 1945 World Series, Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave Wrigley Field because his pet goat was bothering fans. He angrily declared that the Cubs “ain’t gonna win no more”.
The 1969 Cubs were in first place, when someone dropped a black cat onto the field during a game with the Mets at Shea Stadium. The cat headed to the visitor dugout and stared menacingly. The Cubs faltered, and the Miracle Mets would end up as champions of baseball.
Late in the final game of the 1984 NLDS, Ryne Sandberg accidentally spilled Gatorade on Leon Durham’s glove in the dugout. A ground ball minutes later slipped past Durham’s mitt and gave the Padres the series win.
And poor Steve Bartman. This Cubs fan interfered with a catchable foul ball in 2003 with the Cubs just 5 outs from the World Series. The monumental collapse that followed would give the Marlins the World Series championship and force Bartman to deal with the injustice that comes with 108 years of fan frustration.
Where does blame lie for Chicago Cubs misery? The Billy Goat? The Black Cat? The Gatorade Glove? The Bartman? None of the above.
The curse of the Chicago Cubs is an Austin College Kangaroo curse, and it originates in Sherman, TX.
This Roo Tale is dedicated to Eric & Caroline Sanderson, Denis & Beth Valentine Sugrue, & Mark & LuAnn Glowacz. Eric & Caroline are fellow 1995 Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy grads. Eric is a Chicago native and life-long Cubs fan. Denis & Beth are Austin friends of the Parrishes. Denis is a retired Chicago law enforcement officer who has seen his fair share of Cubs disappointment. Mark is a next door neighbor, Chicago native, and longtime fan of that team from Wrigley. All are watching this baseball post season like most Cub fans, with an intense mix of hope and dread.
This Roo Tale is dedicated to Christopher Davis, Tim Chamberlain, and Lindsay Chamberlain. Chris, Tim, & Lindsay are former University of Texas colleagues. Tim & Lindsay are rival St. Louis Cardinal fans. However, like political columnist George Will, Chris is a Cubs fan. Will grew up in central Illinois and famously said that he grew up embittered and conservative because he rooted for the Cubs while his friends rooted for the Cards. Chris, This. Is. The. Year.
This Roo Tale is dedicated to Dawn Wayland Wilson and Kristiann Erbe Monti. Dawn and Kristiann are good friends with whom I studied in Madrid, Spain a quarter century ago. Dawn is a huge Dodgers fan, and is celebrating the 67th (!!!) and final year of Vin Scully’s Dodger broadcasting career. Scully grew up a Giants fan, and your humble author’s one Cubs game at Wrigley was against the Dodgers. Kristiann is a Giants fan. Both are California natives and Occidental College (CA) alumni. Last year Austin College football whipped Whittier (CA) 55-12, and Occidental College football whipped Whittier (CA) 62-15. Go Roos & Tigers!
This Roo Tale is dedicated to Lance Rowell. Lance is a University of Texas System colleague of 16 years. He’s also an Aggie, a former member of the fightin’ Texas Aggie band, and a native of Marlin, TX. In the 1980s, trips from College Station to visit my grandparents in McGregor, TX would require a left turn in Marlin. Little did I know I was driving past some great baseball history.
And, because this Austin College Sports Roo Tale is baseball, it is dedicated to all of the Roo ballers who played, assisted, or coached when I was in Sherman:
Wayne Whitmire, Jason Willis, Kevin Krause, Pat Abernathey, John Talley, Cliff Brooks, Phil Novicki, Rebecca Cannon Novicki, Jamie Muro, Pat Rabjohn, Shane Montgomery, Wes Tarbox, Michael Turner Norman, Tony Bitros, Kelly Carver, B.k. May, Jimmy Baird, Ben Satterwhite, Kyle Matlock, and Coach David Norman.
Also, a special dedication to Big Jim Norman, David’s father, Shane Montgomery’s mentor, and head coach of 1981 Roo baseball!
Chapter 1: Welcome to Marlin
Chapter 2: The Giants come to Sherman
Chapter 3: The Curse of the Roo
Chapter 4: The Giants return to Sherman, and Cubs futility begins
Chapter 5: This. Is. The. Year.
Your humble author takes in a Cubs / Dodgers game in 1993…
My most “baseball” photo ever. Dodgers take BP at Wrigley while Harry Caray & Tommy Lasorda chat…
Dodger Eric Davis early in the game. Cubs would win 6-2. Cubbie Steve Buechele would go 0-4 and Horns QB Shane Buechele did not yet exist.
The black cat at Shea in 1969…
Leon Durham and the Gatorade Glove…
Vin Scully with the call. With your humble author watching from Luckett Hall, Will Clark & the Giants defeat the Cubs in the 1989 NLCS…
Reluctant to even post this one. Hopefully Bartman can forgive us all one day. 🙁
Chapter 1: Welcome to Marlin
Major League ball clubs today all head south to Florida or Arizona when spring training begins. Not 100 years ago. Teams would head south, but pretty much wherever they wanted. For Manager John McGraw and the New York Giants, “wherever” was Marlin, TX.
The Giants had trained in Los Angeles in 1907, and McGraw disliked the distractions. He desired a quiet location away from the lights, ladies, and other temptations that can keep a man’s thoughts from baseball. When the Giants skipper stumbled upon the seat of Falls county, he declared it heaven on earth. “Tell ‘em the Giants are coming”, he announced to the Marlin mayor.
In early February 1908, the squad hopped onto a luxury liner from New York harbor to New Orleans, and then headed west by rail to Marlin. The town was isolated, even for Texas standards. Its healthy natural springs and inaccessibility turned out to be perfect for focused preparation. Even most sports writers took a pass at the trip, which was fine by McGraw. The City of Marlin rolled out the red carpet for the Giants for nearly a decade starting in 1908; the Giants would return the favor by coming back again and again. See the iconic photo of the Giants walking along the tracks from their hotel to practice.
But one does not win pennants on practice alone. Games were desired, and the Giants would spend the months of February & March traveling throughout the state and playing city and college clubs. Dallas. Fort Worth. Houston. Austin.
And Sherman too.
The Giants preferred to scrimmage with the best college teams in the state, and that meant trips to Austin College. In 1908, a contingent of Giants headed north from Dallas to face the mighty Roos in a two game set at Luckett Field. Enthusiasm on campus was high; students and Sherman locals were all abuzz. After all, it’s not every day that the 1905 World Series champions drop by, like Cubbie Ernie Banks, to say “let’s play two.”
Luckett Field, site of the Roos clash with the New York Giants…
Site of Luckett Field, not far from where the fellas and I would play quite a bit of football and ultimate Frisbee at Old Settlers…
Chapter 2: The Giants come to Sherman
The Giants took Game #1 12-3 on Monday, March 23rd. Getting the win for New York was Doc Crandall. Crandall would pitch in the majors for a decade, earning 108 wins over his career. He was the first hurler in the majors to be used as a relief pitcher; his appearances late to rescue games in distress would earn him his nickname “Doc”. Behind the plate for Crandall was catcher Roger Bresnahan, who resides in the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown, NY.
After an overnight stay near campus, the Giants and Roos met up once again at Luckett Field on a beautiful Grayson county spring day. Pitching for the visitors was Cooperstown inductee Joe McGinnity. His career highlights included 246 wins, a lifetime ERA of 2.66, and over 1,000 Ks. Bresnahan once again was behind the plate.
McGinnity is considered one of the best hurlers to don a NY Giants uniform. He owned seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons during baseball’s dead ball era; his 48 career complete games remains an NL record today. McGinnity had contributed to New York’s World Series title in 1905. 1908 would be his last year in the majors.
Performing umpire duties behind the plate in Sherman over those two days? Legendary NY Giants Manager John McGraw. McGraw managed the Giants for three decades until 1932, and is second on the all-time manager win list. McGraw is considered by many to be the best player / manager in baseball history; over 30 years, his Giants teams won 3 World Series titles, 11 NL pennants, and had only two losing seasons. Not surprisingly, McGraw also resides in Cooperstown.
Replacing McGraw as Giants Manager that week was pitcher Christy Mathewson. Arguably the most famous and recognizable of all Giants, Mathewson was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. 373 wins. 2.13 ERA. Over 2500 Ks. Mathewson can also be found in Cooperstown. Mathewson’s win total puts him tied for third on the all-time list, behind Cy Young & Walter Johnson. His lifetime ERA puts him tied for eighth all-time. Mathewson is the only MLB pitcher in the top ten in both wins & ERA. Both McGraw and Mathewson’s jerseys (before numbers were commonplace) are retired at AT&T Park in San Francisco (see photo).
The sun was shining during Game #2 on Tuesday, March 24th. AC fans were out in force. Star Roo slugger J.A. Henderson led off the 1st with a triple against McGinnity, but was left stranded. The Roos got 6 hits off of McGinnity, but could not bring anyone home. The Giants methodically manufactured run after run, and took Game #2 by a 6-0 count. Starting first baseman Fred Tenney had a strong outing, and accounted for 2 of the 6 runs. McGraw commented to the press that after a shaky first game, the local college boys really came out to play. Over 1000 Sherman locals turned out to watch their hometown Roos battle one of the best teams in the country. At the end of the game, McGraw promised that his Giants would return to Sherman for more baseball. He kept his word.
Making the trip to Sherman that March was a little known Giants rookie and back up first baseman from Ohio. He would see action against the Roos, relieving starter Tenney and drawing walks in both games. At the time, he was the youngest player in the entire National League. His name? Fred Merkle.
No one knows the true origin of the curse of the Roo, but it can be traced directly to Merkle in Sherman. Maybe Merkle vandalized brand new Luckett Hall, constructed a mere 6 months earlier. Maybe he convinced a disgruntled student to burn down Austin College’s Ol’ Main administration building 5 years later. Or, maybe Merkle just had some unkind words about the chicken fried steak at City Limits. Whatever the cause, the curse of the Roo left Sherman with Merkle, changed the fortunes of the NY Giants in 1908, and the history of the Chicago Cubs in every year thereafter.
Doc Crandall, winning Giants pitcher in Game #1…
Joe McGinnity, winning Giants pitcher in Game #2…
Christy Mathewson, one of the best pitchers in MLB history and 2-0 as Giants Manager against the Roos…
John McGraw, legendary player/manager for the New York Giants. Also, umpire for two Giants/Roos ball games.
Fred Merkle, sees action at Luckett Field, carries of the “Curse of the Roo” from Sherman to Manhattan…
Giants take game #1 12-3. Roos manage 3 runs on 9 hits…
Giants take game #2 6-0. Write up in the New York Times.
Game #2 coverage in the Austin Statesman. Roo Captain J.A. Henderson leads off the game with a triple.
Chapter 3: The Curse of the Roo
The Giants were well on their way to another National League pennant six months later. All that remained was to shake those pesky Cubs. But Chicago refused to go quietly into the night. When the Cubs visited the Giants late in the season on September 23, 1908, the two teams were tied for first. An important matchup at the Polo Grounds awaited.
In 1908, New York fans rooted for the Giants. What about the Yankees? New York’s most famous organization today was then known as the Highlanders, Yankee stadium did not yet exist, and the Highlanders were cellar dwellars. What about the Dodgers? Brooklyn’s team was known as the Superbas, Ebbets Field was still a dream, and the Superbas rarely had winning seasons. To root for baseball in New York in 1908 was to travel north in Manhattan to Coogan’s Bluff and cheer for McGraw’s club at the most famous stadium in the country at the time.
First baseman Joe Tenney had started the entire season. But a bad back forced his backup Fred Merkle into the lineup for the first time all year. Mathewson, who had earlier managed the Giants in Sherman, was on the mound. The Giants tied the score at 1-1 in the sixth, thanks in part to a sacrifice fly by Bresnahan. New York came to bat in the bottom of the ninth looking to end the game. A single by Merkle put runners on the corners with two outs.
Al Birdwell ripped the first pitch to center, scoring the winning run. Giants 2, Cubs 1. Giants fans stormed the field. Giants players all headed towards the club house in centerfield to avoid the rush. Including Merkle.
He never touched second.
The rule book in 1908 clearly stated that all base runners had to advance to the next base. However, the rule was not enforced and was regularly overlooked and ignored by all teams in major league baseball. The Cubs saw an opportunity to violate the spirit and enforce the letter of the law.
Cubs infielder Johnny Evers, of the famed Tinkers-Evers-Chance infield, called for the ball to force out Merkle. Joe McGinnity saw what was occurring. The Giants pitcher who had shutout the Roos six months earlier was coaching first base that day. Amidst a swarm of rushing fans, McGinnity ran onto the field, intercepted the throw, and threw the baseball into the Polo Ground stands. Cubs infielders ran into the stands, confronted the fan who had caught the ball, wrestled him to the ground, grabbed the ball, made their way back onto the field, and touched second base.
For reasons still debated to this day, base path umpire Bob Emslie decided to go with the letter of the law. Merkle was out and the game would continue.
Pandemonium erupted. Celebrating fans were confused. Both teams were either in the clubhouse or arguing the call. Darkness was approaching. Eventually, the game was called and declared a tie. A tie would not be relevant, however, unless both teams ended the regular season tied for first.
Both teams ended the regular season tied for first.
National League president Harry Pulliam ordered a replay of the game to determine to determine the NL pennant winner. Fans filled the stadium and stood atop Coogan’s bluff to watch (see photo). Once again, the Cubs journeyed to the Polo Grounds. Once again, Mathewson was to get the start. However, Mathewson woke up ill and declared that he was “not fit to pitch today” against the Cubs.
Tinker, Evers, and Chance provided the offense, and Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown was solid in relief. Cubs 4, Giants 2. Chicago advanced to the World Series, where they would defeat Detroit in 5 games. Chicago Cubs, 1908 champions.
Cubs Win in 1908. Chicago press prepares for dynasty that is still to come…
The 1908 Chicago Cubs, champions of baseball…
Giants fans need a scapegoat. Merkle’s boner provides…
Chapter 4: The Giants return to Sherman, and Cubs futility begins
The Giants were back in Marlin in 1909. As promised, McGraw took his NY squad to Sherman to face the Roos. Once again, Mathewson was manager and Crandall pitched. The Roos put up a solid effort, and fell in game #1 5-2. The New York Tribune reported that Mathewson was on the receiving end of a good number of cracks because the amateurs in Sherman made the game so close. See article in NY Tribune.
Perhaps influenced by the jokes, Mathewson himself took to the mound in game #2 at Luckett Field, and contributed to a complete game shutout of Austin College. Mathewson didn’t win 373 MLB games for nuthin’, Roo fans.
It’s actually not too surprising that Austin College was able to compete with some of the best professionals the country had to offer in 1909. AC Roo baseball had a tremendous season that year, the first year of TIAA conference play.
In that inaugural season, the Roos chalked up wins over Trinity, TCU, Texas A&M, and the Longhorns of Texas. On April 9th & 10th, the Roos journeyed to College Station, defeated A&M 1-0 & 3-2 at Kyle Field, and returned home to celebrate. The April 22nd victory over the Longhorns occurred at Luckett Field in Sherman; the Roos took care of business by downing the Horns 6-2.
Meanwhile, the 1909 Chicago Cubs were just starting their attempt to repeat their 1908 championship. They still are.
“Christy Mathewson will pitch” against the Roos…
Captain J.A. Henderson is back for fightin’ 1909 Roo baseball…
Henderson and the Roos take down the Horns & Aggies…
Chapter 5: This. Is. The. Year.
Fred Merkle’s infamous boner was brought on by the curse of the Roo, and would haunt him throughout his playing days. Perhaps understanding the source of their misfortune, the Giants eventually traded Merkle to the very same Chicago Cubs in the very same year that Wrigley Field opened. The result? Since 1908, the Giants have won 7 World Series titles while the Cubs have lost 7. One of those 7 Cub losses? To the Boston Red Sox in 1918.
The Red Sox of course, had their own curse, linked to another famous trade when Babe Ruth was dealt to the Yankees after their 1918 championship. This curse was lifted in 2004 in dramatic fashion, after an historic 3-0 ALCS comeback against the same Yankees. Boston’s World Series was clinched after a St. Louis Cardinal groundout by a batter wearing Ruth’s #3.
The Cubs curse still lingers, however, primarily because of a failure to accurately identify the culprit. The Billy Goat? The Black Cat? The Gatorade Glove? The Bartman? No. The Curse of the Roo. Unknown in origin, born in Sherman, transferred to New York by way of Merkle and facilitating a 1908 Cubs championship, it finally arrived in Chicago and has lingered for 108 years due to Merkle’s trade to the Cubs.
Why, signs of the curse of the Roo have been a fixture of the Wrigleyville neighborhood for some time. Walk south from Wrigley Field on North Clark for one block, and you will pass Merkle’s bar and grill. Cub fans celebrate this local institution because of Merkle’s boner and the 1908 championship, but fail to realize that Merkle’s boner is actually part of a Roo curse that has haunted the Cubs ever since the Merkle trade during Wrigley Field’s first year of play.
Roo fans, it’s time we give Chicago baseball some long overdue peace. How much additional anguish should Cubs fans endure?
No more! This Roo Tale officially ends the curse of the Roo. Whatever transgressions occurred in Sherman that March day in 1908 are formally forgiven.
Cub fans, Wrigley Field turns 100 years old this year. Your Cubbies have the best record in baseball and the post season is about to start. First up in the playoffs? Yup, you guessed it. The Giants. If Boston had to go through the Yankees to break their curse, then the Cubs will need to do the same to the very organization that gave them Merkle and battled the Roos in Sherman 108 years ago. Game #1 of Cubs-Giants kicks off tonight at Wrigley. Game #2 takes place on Saturday, and former AC Roo ball player Wes Tarbox will be in attendance, personally overseeing the end of the curse. Send me a photo Wes!
108 years is payment in full Chicago. Now get out there, take down the Giants, win the NL pennant, and bring a long overdue championship to the Windy City. Austin College has spoken; you’ve endured long enough. We’ll all celebrate at Merkle’s in November.
This. Is. The. Year.
Go Cubs…………….and Go Roos.
Merkle’s Boner, Part 1
Merkle’s Boner, Part 2
Merkle’s Bar & Grill just outside of Wrigley, where the celebration will be rockin’ in a few weeks…
