Photo from the Merkle Game found

[dealme]

I love the picture, and I found the story as to how it was determined to be from the specific game fascinating. I can only imagine if the play had happened today how many times it would have been reviewed, replayed, and rehashed. Merkle would have likely been destroyed in every media format imaginable. I've always thought that the umpiring crew had no business calling him out, especially given the utter chaos taking place in the aftermath of the game.

For anyone that's interested in some great reading on the 1908 season, I highly recommend the book Crazy '08.

Cheers,
Mark

[obcbeatle]

Does anyone who is a current member of SABR know if the SABR Pictorial History Research Committee (I think that's what it used to be called?) agreed that they believe this photo may be from that specific game? The PHRC used to do some pretty impressive sleuthing of old photo's. Just wondering. A very cool photo either way. Thanks for sharing!

[philliesphan]

Keith was pretty clear this was him. Now that he's retired from his GQ gig, his Twitter feed tends to be largely about baseball, collecting, and stray dogs.

Here's his Tweet re: this game

https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/s...21647213441024

[prewarsports]

We sold this one a few years back. At the time a member of SABR contacted me to tell me he thought it was not the game identified on the back and we were set to pull it from the auction, but then after more research the same person found out that it was indeed the "Merkle Playoff Game" as the advertising and such were a match. While not the game of the actual incident, it pictures the playoff game that was necessitated by Merkle not touching second and it is interesting that this one does picture the aftermath it appears. Maybe like one of those movies where there is a little clip after the credits, this photographer stuck around, just in case.

https://rmyauctions.com/bids/bidplace?itemid=5557

[obcbeatle]

Originally Posted by philliesphan

Keith was pretty clear this was him. Now that he's retired from his GQ gig, his Twitter feed tends to be largely about baseball, collecting, and stray dogs.

Here's his Tweet re: this game

https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/s...21647213441024

Thanks for the link/tweet. So very cool to think this is a photo of the exact moment before Merkle makes a decision that would alter his life forever (and perhaps contribute to Harry Pulliam's suicide). AND ... the photo was taken by Conlon to boot. Pretty amazing! Thanks again for sharing.