On September 23rd, 1908, nineteen-year-old Fred Merkle, backup first baseman for the New York Giants, saw his name written on a lineup card for the first time in his life. Starting that day for the Gotham club was Christy Mathewson, on his way to pitching for his second triple crown to hopefully lead the Giants to the NL pennant. Through four, it was scoreless. Then, later, commotion.
Fred Merkle stood on first base, and opposite him, ninety feet from home, was Moose McCormick, who would later become a salesman for the Hess Steel Company. There were two outs.