All Chicago Cubs fans, and most Chicagoans for that matter, are really sick of hearing about 1908.
Unfortunately, if the Cleveland Indians win tonight, in Wrigley Field no less, then the specter of 1908 continues to live on at least one more year. Tonight is game five of the 2016 World Series and the Cubs are facing elimination.
They need the offense to finally wake up, and take charge. They need a series hero like Orval Overall was back in 1908.
Mr. Overall came up in a story pitch I received this weekend. Here’s an excerpt from the press release.
The baseball that Chicago Cubs pitcher Orval Overall tossed for the final out to clinch the team’s 1908 World Series victory over the Detroit Tigers is estimated to sell for at least $100,000 in a sports collectibles public auction now underway by Dallas, Texas-based Heritage Auctions (www.HA.com). The opening bid is $25,000, and bidding will conclude online on Saturday November 19, 2016.
The ball was obtained immediately after the game at Detroit’s Bennett Park by Tigers manager Hughie Jennings who later wrote on it: “World Series, Tigers & Cubs, Oct. 14, 1908, From Charlie Schmidt” (the Detroit catcher who was at bat and made the final out to end the series, four games to one).
“This may be the most important piece of historic sports memorabilia for Chicago Cubs fans,” said Chris Ivy, Director of Heritage Sports Collectibles.
“After Schmidt hit a weak dribbler, Cubs catcher Johnny Kling tossed it to first baseman and team manager Frank Chance for the final out and the Cubs’ World Series victory. Detroit manager Jennings, one of major league baseball’s earliest souvenir hounds, then obtained the ball directly from Chance,” explained Ivy.
Amazingly, the opening bid, for 25 grand, is still not enough money to get you premium box seat tickets for the World Series at Wrigley Field. It’s totally nuts, and here’s more on that.
I still have faith in the Cubs. I’m not saying I think they’re going to come back from 3-1 and win it all like 1908. However, I think they’re going to put up a better fight than this. For all our sakes, let’s hope they can get it done. We’re all tired of 1908 this and 1908 that, blah blah blah 1908.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.