Seizing the Moment: George Rohe and the 1906 World Series

Few baseball players have been remembered in such diametrically opposed ways as George Rohe of the 1906 Chicago White Sox.  According to Joe Farrell, the leader of the White Sox fan club, Rohe was “one of the worst infielders in the game,” as well as “a weakling at bat.” However, Fred Lieb, a well-known writer, thought differently. Lieb claimed Rohe was “a by-word in big league baseball” and “an inspiration” to players who weren’t stars.

The 1906 World Series was the first time both teams were from the same city.  With the notable exception of New York City, this only happened one other time - St. Louis in 1944

Surprisingly, both opinions, although seemingly irreconcilable, are correct or at least have a basis in fact.  There is plenty of statistical evidence to back up Farrell’s low opinion of Rohe who hit only in .227 in a four-year career of less than 300 games.  Included in those games,  however, were the six games of the 1906 World Series where Rohe was the batting hero of what was, and remains, one of the greatest upsets in baseball history.  

It’s hard to think of a more David-Goliath like matchup.  Representing the National League were Frank Chance’s Chicago Cubs, winners of 116 games, a record that has been matched only once. So dominant were the Cubs that the second-place Giants who finished 40 games over .500 came in a distant 20 games behind Chicago.  The champions of the American League, still very much the junior circuit, were Fielder Jones’ Chicago White Sox, a weak hitting team that didn’t clinch the pennant until the last few days of the season.

Only the 2001 Seattle Mariner matched the 1906 Cubs win total.  With the irony found only in baseball, neither team won the World Series

Although the Sox struggled offensively, Rohe wasn’t good enough to break into the starting lineup.  In fact, if team owner Charlie Comiskey had his way, Rohe wouldn’t have even been on the roster.  The White Sox owner wanted to send Rohe to New Orleans only to be blocked by Giants manager, John McGraw who had a grudge against the New Orleans team.  Rohe’s role in the World Series would have been limited, but with George Davis unavailable for the first three games, Rohe got a once in a lifetime chance and he made the most of it.

In his Chicago Daily News oral history, Rohe discusses an important triple he hit in game one and an even more crucial one in the third contest.  A close look at the first four games which the two teams split shows the importance of those hits.  In those contests, the White Sox scored only six runs. Rohe scored one and drove in three others.  So weak was the Sox’s offense that they had only eleven hits in four games, a pathetic .097 batting average.  Had Rohe not delivered twice in the clutch, the Cubs might very well have swept the series or at least held a commanding 3-1 lead.  Instead of being one of the greatest upsets in World Series history, the 1906 Fall Classic could have been just one more predictable mismatch.  

Rohe’s story wasn’t included in the book versions of the greatest day series so this is one of the few times it has appeared in print since 1944.  It marked the first time a bit player stole the show on what Tyler Kepner called the game’s “Greatest Stage.”  It’s a story well worth remembering. 

In an incredibly fortuitous moment, a Chicago Tribune photographer captured Rohe's greatest moment - his third game triple

George Rohe as told to Francis Powers

On October 4, 1906, the Chicago White Sox clinched the American League championship, after a long battle with the Highlanders (now Yankees).  Chicago immediately went baseball crazy.  The Cubs had been in for a couple of weeks so Chicago was headed for its first and only “city” World Series.

The night the Sox clinched the pennant I remember Fielder Jones telling newspaper men: “Barring accidents we’ll win the World Series.”  That was big talk around Chicago for the Cubs that season set a record that still stands with 116 victories and only 36 defeats.  That the fans thought Jones was talking big was shown when they made the Cubs 2-1 favorites on the day the series opened in the Cubs park on the West Side.

A couple of days before the series started, the “accident” with which Jones qualified his prediction happened.  George Davis the regular shortstop was injured.  And that was the break that gave me, George Rohe, the chance to play in the series and get my name in the records.  I had been the general handyman around the infield all season, playing second, short and third in 62 games. I played second through the Sox 19 game winning streak that started in Detroit on July 27, when Frank Isbell was injured, but I was much more at home at short or third.  That winning streak still stands as the American League record and it made the Sox pennant contenders.

The 1906 Chicago White Sox - Baseball's Original "Hitless Wonders"

As all old-time fans will remember, the Sox that season were called the “Hitless Wonders” and had a batting average of only .230.  I think it was Charley Dryden who described a Sox batting rally as “a base on balls, stolen base, wild pitch and passed ball.”  Maybe it wasn’t quite that bad but the Cubs had a team average of .273 and that was big hitting in those days.  We had a great pitching staff: Ed Walsh, Frank Owen and the southpaws, Nick Altrock and “Doc” White.  We’d won, pretty largely, on their pitching and a good defense.  But the Cubs had Miner Brown, Jeff Overall, Ed Reulbach and Jack Pfiester.  Fans thought they were as good or better than our fellows.

Frank Chance must have thought so for a couple of days before the series he snarled: “I don’t care to play post season games in the press or hotel lobbies.  We beat the White Sox last fall . . .”   The Cubs were so sure they were going to win the series that several days before it started the papers told of them wrangling over whether they’d take watch fobs or rings as their world’s champion emblems.

When Jones was certain Davis couldn’t start the series, he changed his infield, moving Lee Tannehill from third to short and putting me at third: which was my best position.  And because I hit .265 during the season he put me in the cleanup position.

Unlikely hero George Rohe

The series opened on October 9, a cold, drizzly day, in the West Side park.  Most of the Sox shared Jones’ confidence we’d win the series but after seeing the Cub infield of Chance, Evers, Tinker and Steinfeldt go through practice before the first game, we really were sort of ashamed to go out on the field.

Chance wasn’t taking any chances with the upstarts from the South Side and named Brownie to pitch.  Jones started Nick Altrock.  Now Nick not only was a great pitcher but he never had an equal at picking runners off first and when he was working you had five fielders on the infield.  A first and third baseman never had to worry about bunts.

The game started to be a pitcher’s battle and I mean a battle.  Frank Schulte made the only hit for either side in the fist four innings although I was credited with robbing Harry Steinfeldt of a double or triple with a one-hand stop and throw.

I was first up in our half of the fifth and I got hold of one of Brownie’s fast balls and rifled it down the third-base line.  Steinfeldt never had a chance to field the ball and as Jimmy Sheckard charged over toward the foul line he missed it and it rolled into the crowd for a triple.  Patsy Dougherty was next up and he rolled to Brown but I was on my way home and slid over safely when Kling dropped the throw to the plate.  We got another in the sixth and the Cubs also scored when the Sox missed a double play and the game ended 2-1.

Those in authority had no shortage of excuses for missing work - Chicago Tribune - October 5, 1906

The Hitless Wonders had beaten the Cubs’ best pitcher and the papers acclaimed me as the “hero” of the game.  I guess I would have settled at the time for that game as my greatest thrill but there was another and greater one coming up.

The next day in the Sox park the Cubs won 7-1, when Reulbach held us to two hits while Chance’s crew blasted White and Owen for 10.  That was the Cubs’ rooters day to crow.  I didn’t do anything at the plate that day, outside of getting a couple of walks and we were the “Hitless Wonders” again.

Back in the West Side park for the third game, my greatest day was in the making. It was Walsh against Pfiester and that day the Cubs were “Hitless but not Wonders.”  Big Ed held them to just two hits, one a double by Schulte.  We made only four but with the facility we had shown over the season, we made them count.

And sometimes they remembered those without authority - Chicago Daily News - 10/9/1906

Nothing much happened during the first five innings for both Walsh and Pfiester were pitching masterful ball.  The break started in the sixth when Tannehill singled inside the third-base line, just out of “Steiny’s” reach.  Walsh went up to sacrifice but Pfiester was wild and Ed waited him out.  Then Jones told Frank Hahn to sacrifice, playing percentage all the time. Pfiester threw a high pitch that struck Frank in the face breaking his nose.  So “Tip” O’Neill ran for him.  It looked like  Jack was pitching himself out of trouble when he made Jones foul out and fanned Isbell.

So I came to bat again.  I never was a fellow to guess with a pitcher.  I hit what looked good to me. This time I hit the first pitch.  Another low drive down the third-base line that rolled into the crowd for a triple, cleaning the bases.  Three runs and that was the game.

Game 5 at West Side Park - the Cubs home field

We used to have what we called a “Sandwich Club” on the Sox.  Any time we got two runs ahead, we’d send out and get a batch of hot dogs.  We figured a two-run lead was all we ever needed.  So after my triple, the hot dog boy had plenty of customers.

That was my greatest day.  Brownie beat Altrock in the fourth game, allowing only two hits, but then the Cubs were finished.  We won the next two 8-6 and 8-3 and the series.  Brown came back as the Cubs last hope in the sixth game but we got to him for seven runs in the first two innings.  You know we carried Brownie at such a terrific pace in the first two games he didn’t have much left.  In his first two starts the Cubs got him only two runs and he had to pitch himself out.  I got three hits in the fifth game and two in the sixth to lead the Sox in batting with .333 per cent.

 

"Old Pete": Grover Cleveland Alexander and the 1926 World Series

Now that the Neshanock's 2026 season is over, our focus for the next few weeks shifts to the World Series - in Tyler Kepner's words, baseball's "Grandest Stage."  We begin by anticipating the centennial of one of the most dramatic seventh games in World Series history, the finale of the 1926 Fall Classic.  We'll do so through Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland "Old Pete" Alexander's story of his Greatest Day in Baseball.

 “The World Series is over.  The play is done.  The actors have trailed into the wings.  The cast is complete.  The villain, the goat, and the hero have spoken their pieces.  The gray of twilight mist and fog has rolled down upon the champions of the world, 1926 – The St. Louis Cardinals”

Paul Gallico – “Daily News” – October 11, 1926

While Gallico’s soaring rhetoric may seem extreme, it was more than fitting for the last of three consecutive, insanely dramatic World Series, each with its own special story.  First came the 1924 Fall Classic full of wonder whether the great Walter Johnson would win a World Series game – a question answered happily in a 12 inning seventh game.  A year later the Pittsburgh Pirates became the first team to come back from a 3 to 1 series deficit and win a dramatic seventh game.  And a century ago, the 1926 series saw a classic David and Goliath matchup pitting the underdog St. Louis Cardinals against the New York Yankees, only a year away from becoming what many consider to be baseball’s greatest team.  

Probably to no one’s surprise the Yankees took the first game, but the Cardinals rallied behind the pitching of Grover Cleveland Alexander and Jesse Haines to take a 2-1 lead.  Predictably, the Yankees were not intimidated, winning the next two highlighted by Babe Ruth’s three home runs in the fourth game.  New York returned to Yankees Stadium needing only one win for the championship, but Alexander had other ideas winning the sixth game easily 10-2.  That brought matters to a deciding seventh game and it’s no surprise that four participants chose it as their Greatest Day in Baseball.

Cartoonist Gene Mack captures Grover Cleveland Alexander's dominance of the Yankees in the 1926 series.  Alexander won two games, saved another with a 1.33 ERA - Boston Globe October 4, 1926

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t worthy of the matchup with cold and rain keeping the crowd down to about 36,000.  Those fortunate enough to be there, however, watched the drama build as the Cards led 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh.  Although St. Louis was only seven outs away from the championship, the Yankees loaded the bases with two out.  With starter Jesse Haines suffering from a blister, Cards manager Rogers Hornsby brought in Alexander on no rest, much like Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the seventh game of the 2025 series.

As Alexander notes in his account, numerous stories have arisen about this unforgettable game.  The major one regarding the Cardinals star pitcher is his condition when he came into the game.  Alexander had a drinking problem, and it has been alleged he was hung over from celebrating his sixth game victory the day before.  Alexander and his manager Hornsby denied this, but sportswriter Bob Stanton said a number of writers claimed at the time that he was.  In the end, Stanton had the best answer saying that while he didn’t know what Alexander had done on Saturday night he (and the rest of the world) knew what he did on Sunday afternoon.

Although not as well remembered as Alexander, Jesse Haines was equally dominant, with two wins and a 1.08 ERA.  He topped off his third game win by hitting a home run - Boston Globe - October 6, 1926

Grover Cleveland Alexander's Greatest Day in Baseball - as told to Francis Powers

My greatest day in baseball has to be the seventh game of the 1926 World Series between the Cards and the Yankees.  If I picked any other game the fans would think I was crazy.  I guess just about everyone knows the story of the game; it has been told enough.  How I came in as a relief pitcher in the seventh inning with two out and the bases filled with Yankees, and fanned Tony Lazarri to protect the Cards 3-2 lead.  Actually, that was my greatest game, for it gave me not one, but three thrills.  But if it wasn’t I’m stuck with it like George Washington with the hatchet.

There must be a hundred versions of what happened in the Yankee Stadium that dark, chilly afternoon. It used to be that everywhere I went, I’d hear a new one and some were pretty far-fetched. So much so that two-three years ago I ran across Lazzeri in San Francisco and said: “Tony, I’m getting tired of fanning you.”  And Tony answered: “Maybe you think I’m not.”  So I’d like to tell you my story of what took place in that game and the day before.

There are stories that I celebrated that night before and had a hangover when Manager Rogers Hornsby called me from the bullpen to pitch to Lazzeri.  That isn’t the truth.  On Saturday, I had beaten the Yankees 10-2 to make the series all even.  To refresh your memory on the series, the Yankees won the opener and we took the next two.  Then the Yanks won two straight and needed only one more for the world’s championship and I beat them in the sixth.

Cardinals manager, and Hall of Fame second baseman Rogers Hornsby

In the clubhouse after that game, Hornsby came over to me and said: “Alex, if you want to celebrate tonight, I wouldn’t blame you.  But go easy for I may need you tomorrow.”

I said: “Okay, Rog. I’ll tell you what I’ll do.  I’ll ride back to the hotel with you and I’ll meet you tomorrow morning and ride out to the park with you.”  Hell – I wanted to win that series and get the big end of the money as much as anyone.

Jesse Haines started the seventh game for us, pitching against Waite Hoyt.  We figured Jesse would give the Yanks all they could handle.  He was a knuckle-baller and had shut ‘em out in the third game.  Early in the game Hornsby said to me: “Alex, go down to the bull pen and keep your eye on Sherdel [Willie] and Bell [Herman].  Keep ‘em warmed up and if I need help I’ll depend on you to tell me which looks best.”

Babe Ruth's third inning home run gave the Yankees a brief lead - Daily News October 11, 1926

The bull pen in the Yankee Stadium is under the bleachers and when you’re down there you can’t tell what’s going on out on the field only for the yells of the fans overhead.  When the bench wants to get in touch with the bull pen there’s a telephone.  It’s the only real fancy, modern bull pen in baseball.  Well I was sitting around down there, not doing much throwing when the phone rang and an excited voice said: “Send in Alexander.”

I don’t find out what happened until the game is over.  Haines is breezing along with  a 3-2 lead when he develops a blister on the knuckle of the first finger of his right hand.  The blister breaks and the finger is so sore he can’t hold the ball.  Before Rog knows it the Yanks have the bases filled.

I take a few hurried throws and then start for the box.  There’s been a lot of stories about how long it took me to walk from the bull pen to the mound and how I looked, and all that.  Well, as I said, I didn’t know what had happened when I was called.

Yankees Hall of Fame second baseman Tony Lazzeri, who was in his rookie season in 1926

So when I came out from under the bleachers I see the bases filled and Lazzeri standing in the box.   Tony is up there all alone, with everyone in that Sunday crowd watching him.  So I just said to myself, “Take your time.  Lazzeri isn’t feeling any too good up there and let him stew.”  But I don’t remember picking any  four-leaf clovers as the some of the stories said.

I get to the box and Bob O’Farrell, our catcher, comes right out to meet me.  “Let’s start right where we left off yesterday,” Bob said. Yesterday [Saturday] Lazzeri was up four times with getting anything that looked like a hit.  He got one off me in the second game of the series, but with one out of seven I wasn’t much worried about him, although I knew that if he got all of a pitch he’d hit it a long piece.

I said okay to O’Farrell.  We’ll curve him.  My first pitch was a curve and Tony missed.  Holding the ball in his hand, O’Farrell came out to the box again.  “Look, Alex,” he began.  “This guy will be looking for that curve next time.  We curved him all the time yesterday.  Let’s give him a fast one.” I agreed and poured one in, right under his chin.  There was a crack and I knew the ball was hit hard.  A pitcher can pretty well tell from the sound.  I spun around to watch the ball and all the Yankees on base were on their way.  But the drive had a tail-end fade and landed foul by eight-ten feet in the left-field bleachers.

Ruth makes the final out of the series in a vain attempt to steal second - Daily News - October 11, 1926

So I said to myself, “No more of that for you, my lad.”  Bob signed for another curve and I gave him one.  Lazzeri swung where that curve started but not where it finished.  The ball got a hunk of the corner and then finished outside.  Well we were out of that jam but there were still two innings to go.

I set the Yankees down in order in the eighth and got the first two in the ninth.  And then Ruth came up.  The Babe had scored the Yanks” first run of the game with a tremendous home homer and he was dynamite to any pitcher.  I didn’t take any chances on him but worked the count to three and two, pitching for the corners all the time.  Then Babe walked and I wasn’t sorry either when I saw him perched on first.  Of course Bob Meusel was the next hitter and he’d hit over 40 homers that season and would mean trouble.

If Meusel got hold of one it could mean two runs and the series, so I forgot all about Ruth and got ready to work on Meusel.  I’ll never know why the guy did it but on my first pitch to Meusel, the Babe broke for second.  He (or Miller Huggins) probably figured that it would catch us by surprise. I caught the blur of Ruth starting for second as I pitched and then came the whistle of the ball as O’Farrell rifled it to second.  I wheeled around and there was one of the grandest sights of my life.  Hornsby, his foot anchored on the bag and his gloved hand outstretched was waiting for Ruth to come in.  There was the series and my second big thrill of the day. The third came when Judge Landis mailed out the winners’ checks for $5,584.51.

Grover Cleveland Alexander - Master of all he surveys - Boston Globe - October 11, 1926

I guess, I had every thrill that could come to a pitcher except one.  I never pitched a no-hit game.  I pitched 16 one-hitters during my time in the National League and that’s coming pretty close, pretty often.

You know you think of a lot of funny things that happened in baseball, sittin around gabbing like this.  I remember when I was with the Cubs, and I was with them longer than any other club, we were playing the Reds in a morning game on Decoration Day.  The game was in the11th when I came up to bat and I said: “If they give me a curve ball, I’ll hit it in the bleachers.  My wife’s got fried chicken at home for me.  They gave me a curve and I hit ‘er in the bleachers.

With a Little Help from Our Friends

The below account of yesterday's Neshanock - Logan Club match was provided by Jeff "Duke" Schneider, with a few suggestions from Mark "Gaslight"Granieri.

After last week's scheduled season finale was rained out, the Neshanock were fortunate to receive a last-minute invite to oppose the Logan Club of Lambertville. 7 members of the team journeyed to Lambertville with the remaining 2 spots proficiently filled by Jason "Three" from Newtown Strakes and Paul from the Elizabeth Resolutes.

Chris "Sideshow" Nunn at the striker's line on a perfect day for baseball.  All photos by Mark Granieri - thanks to Mark for another season of splendiferous photos.

Lambertville jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Neshanock fought back until the 4th inning ended with each team having plated 4 runs. The 5th inning began with an explosion of runs, 8 of the Neshanock nine scored to provide a lead they would never relinquish. The remaining 4 innings returned to a back-and-forth format, with Neshanock holding on for an 18-11 victory.

Special thanks to Sam "Ewing" Ricco, captain of the Logan Club for inviting the Neshanock to play and for his yeoman's work in recruiting enough players to fill out both teams. Well played sir! 

The victory was an entire team effort; Bob "Riverboat" Smith and "Duke" led the team with 5 hits apiece, but the entire top of the order, Chris "Sideshow," J. P. "Grifter" Prioli, Joe "Dispatch" Prioli & "Three" were close behind with 4 hits. "Duke" seemed exhausted, trying to captain the team, serve as umpire and play centerfield; perhaps that is why he was thrown out stealing twice. The Prioli boys, "Grifter" & "Dispatch" contributed their own baserunning exploits, highlighted by "Dispatch" stealing third, before realizing his brother was already on the base. Not to be outdone, somehow Jacob "Strudel" Schneider and his father "Duke" combined to get caught stealing second and third on the same play! Surely that is a Neshanock first.

In addition to his other duties, "Duke" had his moments at the striker's line which he put to good use

"Riverboat" went the distance on the mound, keeping the Logan batters on their heels for most of the game, while Gaslight was dominant behind the plate in making several diving catches on fouls balls.  In addition to his regular acrobatics on foul bound outs, "Gaslight" added a somewhat less frequent achievement throwing a runner out stealing. The few balls that were hit to the outfield were mostly tamed by "Sideshow" in left and "Strudel" in right.  "Sideshow" also triggered an unusual double play - catching a fair bound out and then throwing out a runner at third.  Well played by all involved.

And with one final cheer, the sun sets on the 2026 season - see you again in 2027

With the victory, Neshanock finished the 2026 season with a 9-14 record. Highlights included tying a team record of 3 victories at the Gettysburg Festival and a 2nd place finish in the Doc Adams Division at the National Association of Historic Baseball Clubs National Championship.  Thanks to all who supported the Neshanock this season.

Baseball at the Beach

This past weekend the Neshanock traveled to Milton, Delaware for the National Association of Historic Base Ball Clubs' second annual tournament.  We’re grateful to the association leadership and the Lewes Club for all of the hard work that went into making the event happen There were 12 teams in this year’s tournament which were divided into four groups for the first day’s play.  Based on Saturday’s results, the teams competed for one of three possible championships.  

A perfect day for baseball - unless otherwise noted photos are by Rene Marrero

Flemington began the first day's play in a group with the Talbot Club of Maryland and the Kingston Guards from New York.  The Neshanock’s opening match was with Talbot in what turned out to be a low scoring contest especially for 1864 baseball.  The Maryland team got off to a quick 3-0 lead which was more than enough as Flemington could only muster one tally in a 5-1 loss.  A single by Chris “Sideshow” Nunn, followed by William Curtis Staropoli’s double produced the run. Jeff “Duke” Schneider and Jim “Jersey” Nunn each had a hit, but that was the extent of the Neshanock offense.  Bobby “Melky” Ritter pitched well backed up by strong defense.

Jeff "Duke" Schneider's deemed this pitch unworthy of striking

After playing the veteran Talbot Club in the first game, Flemington then took on the Kingston Guards, a relatively new team.  Once again, it was a relatively low scoring game, but this time Flemington had more than enough offense.  The Neshanock scored twice in the first inning on Curtis’s triple, which was all the runs Flemington needed since “Melky” and the defense shut out the New York club for a 7-0 win.  While it wasn’t the first shutout in Neshanock history, it’s been a long time since the last one. Curtiss had four hits including his triple. “Duke," "Sideshow" and Sam “Ewing” Ricco each contributed two.

The Neshanock bench focused, for the most part, on the game - photo by Mary Nunn

By winning the second match, Flemington advanced to Sunday’s semi-final in the Doc Adams Cup Division.  Providing the opposition was Rising Sun Club of Maryland.  The score was tied three different times before the Neshanock took a 7-5 lead after six innings.  Flemington added one more run while limiting Rising Sun to just a single tally for an 8-6 Neshanock victory.  “Ewing” had five hits and a clear score while “Sideshow” and “Duke” contributed four apiece.  “Curtis” had three hits, Rene “Mango” Marrero two, and Chris “Lowball” Lowry had one.

Clearly enjoying themselves are (left to right) Jeff "Duke Schneider," Jim "Jersey Nunn and Rene "Mango" Marrero

The win put Flemington in the division championship game against the Eckford Club.  The Brooklyn team took charge quickly, jumping out to a 13-5 lead, far too large a margin for the Neshanock to make up. The Eckford prevailed 25-11, winning the championship in the process. In the loss Flemington did some strong work at the striker’s line.  “Ewing” had another five hit clear score while Curtis also had five hits including two triples. Not far behind were “Mango” and “Duke” with four hits apiece. “Sideshow” had two hits highlighted by a home run. 

First row, left to right Chris "Sideshow" Nunn, Rene "Mango" Marrero and Jim "Jersey" Nunn. Second row Chris "Lowball" Lowry, Jeff "Duke" Schneider, Larry "Chops" Etgen, Bobby "Melky" Ritter and Sam "Ewing" Rico.  By this time, Curtis had left to catch the ferry back to New Jersey. Photo by Mary Nunn

It was a splendiferous weekend for the Neshanock.  We are very grateful to Curtis and Larry “Chops” Etgen for helping us out.  Thanks again to those who did what was necessary to make the event happen.  Flemington will wind up the 2026 season this coming Saturday, September 26 with our annual visit to the Dey Farm in Monroe Township.  If you’re in the area, please join us. 

"Still Is Ours Today"

Visiting Morristown for a Neshanock game back in April reminded me of long ago Saturdays, when my parents took my sister and me to the Old Book Shop, which is still very much in business today.  I usually emerged with a goodly amount of juvenile fiction, not of my generation, but books my father read in the early 20th century.  While not well remembered today series like the Boy Allies, Tom Swift and the Rover Boys were standard reading material for boys of my father's generation.  Reading those books so many years ago may explain why I collect them now with an emphasis on baseball stories.

As popular as those books were then, critics today, with good reason, don’t think much of what could be described as juvenile fairy tales.  The story typically follows a formula with a perfect hero, bullies on and off the field, in spite of whom, the hero and his friends always emerge triumphant.  Such books may not have seem to have anything to say to today’s youth, but on that point, I respectfully disagree.

A picture from the book, presumably of Phillips Exeter Academy.  All pictures are from the text

Just one example is "Making the Nine" by A. T. Dudley published in 1904.  It’s one of a series of books, Dudley wrote about a school he called Seaton, but which was in fact Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.  Like almost all of these stories, there is no shortage of off the field issues, in this case gambling, theft and eligibility, with a bully or two thrown in for good measure.  Beyond these challenges, all of which are, of course, resolved satisfactorily is what seems to be a side issue – Philip Poole's dream of making the school baseball team.  Hence the title.

A Student's Room

Poole has very little going for him – he’s not a natural athlete and the team captain doesn’t think much of him.  Fortunately, Poole has a mentor, his roommate Dick Melvin, a successful athlete in other sports.  When Poole tells Melvin of his dream and the apparent impossibility of realizing it, Melvin tells him to “devote your whole thought and attention out of [academic] study to baseball and nothing else” and then offers the following specific advice:

"Do more than you’re told

Study yourself

Get outside help

If you get cut from the team, form your own team and keep practicing."

Poole takes Melvin's advice in various ways including remaining on campus during spring break so he can hire a former professional pitcher to help him become a better hitter. Naturally, as in all these stories, Poole follows Melvin’s guidance, and, in spite of what the captain thinks, not only makes the team, but saves the day in a win over the school’s archrival.

Phil Poole In Action

The predictable end result may be the fairy tale ending lamented by critics.  But what’s important, at least to me, is the advice Melvin gives Poole about a process to help him realize his dream.  Even so many years later, it resonates with me because I can identify with Poole. It was my dream in high school to earn a varsity letter on the baseball team, a goal I never achieved. It all worked out in the end because I found other ways to be involved, but reading Making the Nine made me wish I had read Poole's story when I could have followed Melvin's advice. 

The Hero (Poole) Receives His Just Rewards

However, I started thinking about a more important question – had I read the book back then would I have followed Poole’s example?  If I’m being honest, I think it’s doubtful.  I would have been far more interested in the story itself than taking on so much work.  The good news though is that such timeless and valuable advice was not only available to young readers then, but also "still is ours today!" 

Tommy John: Patient Pitcher Patient Man

Everyone who reads this post knows who Tommy John was because of a surgery named after him. A tall pitcher, (6’3”), who couldn’t break a pane of glass, he won 288 games as a “crafty lefty.”  He was a 4-time all-star, finished second in the Cy Young voting twice and won 20 games three times. The HOF never called though teammates believed he belonged. On August 8 he wrote a farewell thank you letter to the Yankees organization and his fans and passed away a week later on August 15th at the age of 83. I, [Paul "O'Neill" Cincotta of the Flemington Neshanock], was one of those fans. And I want to share the story of my chance meeting with a patient Tommy John, my dad, and a McDonalds restaurant in Nyack NY.

Tommy John 

My interest in Tommy John was piqued not only because he signed with the Yankees but because of a 1979 documentary that was distributed among Christian churches discussing his faith. That provided me with a clue to his character. My memory again is foggy, but it would have been in the summer of 1980 or 1981 that my chance meeting happened. 

As I wrote in my story about memorable games, my father had an internal GPS of every McDonalds in a 100-mile radius of our home in Tuckerton NJ and I guess Nyack, NY in Rockland County qualified. While my father and I received our order and sat down, I noticed a man waiting for his order who I thought resembled Tommy John. My father took a glance but didn’t agree. But as teenagers often do, I nagged my father a few more times before he said, “well why don’t you go up to him and ask.”  This I did politely asking, “Excuse me, but are you, Tommy John?”  When the answer came back yes, I was frozen in time. All I could do was put out my hand and shake his. No autograph, no other words, just a handshake and back to my seat to tell my father who was surprised that I was correct. 

We ate our meal, but Tommy John was still at the counter patiently awaiting his order. I left saying something like “keep up the great pitching job” and we went out the door. I remember my father and I discussing how it came about to meet him only because his order took so long. I guess he was a patient man just like his pitching style to get batters out who were impatient to wait on his slow breaking pitch

My father, who passed away in 2010, would have turned 100 on July 28, 2026. My siblings and I planned a dinner with his favorite foods to be celebrated on August 17. Little did I know that Tommy John was in poor health when this dinner was planned. But reminiscing about my father, and with Tommy John’s passing, I remembered the connection of how a teenager, my dad and a McDonalds brought back an experience I will never forget. To this day he is one of only two sports figures I have ever “run into.”  (the other being Carl Yastrzemski). Somehow baseball always has a great ending when it involves a dad, his son, a baseball player, and a McDonalds. Thanks Dad.

Neshanock "At the Bat"

While the Neshanock haven't had a plethora of players on the field this season, we continue to enjoy plenty of depth at the photographer's position.  Official blog photographer, Mark "Gaslight" Granieri ably handles most games and when he's not available, others like Rene "Mango" Marrero fill in admirably.  And on special occasions, professional photographer and Neshanock family member, Lauren Marchese Nunn brings her unique touch to our games.  We were both fortunate and glad to have Lauren with us two weeks ago in Washington.

While no one on the Neshanock pretends to be the "Mighty Casey," every Flemington player has his moments "at the bat."

Chris "Sideshow" Nunn typically strikes first so the Neshanock can take full advantage of his speed and base running acumen

Don "Splinter" Becker has been a valuable addition to the Neshanock especially since he's had an injury free season

Mark "Gaslight" Granieri finds himself on the other end of the camera

Jim "Jersey" Nunn brings 25 years of vintage baseball experience to the striker's line, much of it under the watchful eyes of Sam "It ain't nothing till I say" Bernstein

Jeff "Duke" Schneider attempts one of his classic fair/foul hits

Neshanock field captain Chris "Lowball" Lowry appears to be following Duke's example

The members of the Warren Hills High School team had the rare opportunity to play 1864 baseball on their community's historic field.  A two-part history lesson we hope they enjoyed and will remember