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Chick Gandil

First Base
  • Series: Diamond Heads '15
  • City: Washington, D.C.
  • Team: Senators
  • League: American League

Charles Arnold Gandil (1888-1970) was described in the Chicago Tribune in March 1917 as “the ideal type of athlete – a fighter on the field, a player who never quits under the most discouraging circumstances and … is one of the most dangerous batters in the league when a hit means a ball game.” This tribute heralded Gandil’s return to his original club, Charles Comiskey’s White Sox. He didn’t set the world on fire in ’17 and ’18 but the club became a strong favorite to win it all in 1919. Rife with dissension directed at the miserly owner, by his own admission in a 1956 SI account, Gandil led a conspiracy to throw the Series. Everything came undone and by 1921 eight Sox players were banned for life. Gandil admitted to being the main instigator of the affair but insisted the actual Series losses were unintentional.

  • Was a stand-out first-baseman for Clark Griffith’s Senators
  • Lifetime BA of .277

Auction History

Hal Chase

First Base
  • Series: Diamond Heads '15
  • City: Buffalo
  • Team: Blues (FL)
  • League: Federal League

Harold Homer Chase (1883-1947) may have been among the best first-basemen ever, but his “errors” place him as mediocre at best. His own words are his epitaph: “I am an outcast, and I haven’t a good name. I’m the loser, just like all gamblers are.” A star for the NY Highlanders for the first nine years of the franchise, admired by peers such as Babe Ruth and Walter Johnson, Chase even went on to out-poll dozens of later entrants into the Hall of Fame. Such was his prowess at first and plate. But his compulsion to wager, and the ease of access to illicit betting (the bookies were in the front row) consigned this great player to ignominy.

  • Chase’s spiral from NY idol to deportee from Mexico evidenced his inability to stay straight in an era when the crooked path was wide and inviting
  • Chase was banned from baseball for life by commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis in 1922 for his (unsubstantiated) role in the 1919 Black Sox scandal
  • Despite the controversy that consumed his career, Chase received more HOF votes in 1936 than 18 future HOFers, and more votes in 1937 than 32 future HOFers, but he never appeared on the ballot again

Auction History

George Stovall

First Base
  • Series: Pilgrims
  • City: Cleveland
  • Team: Naps
  • League: American League

George Thomas Stovall (1877-1951) played 1B with the Cleveland Naps and St Louis Browns from 1904-1913 before going over to the new Federal League for two final years with the KC Packers. He managed at least part of a season with each team. In over 5K ABs his lifetime average was .265.

  • Homered off his brother Jesse in his rookie season (an MLB first)
  • “The Jesse James of the Federal League” recruited some top ML players to the ill-fated venture

Auction History

Cartophilia

T201 Mecca Canvas: George Stovall

Fred Merkle

First Base
  • Series: Pilgrims
  • City: New York
  • Team: Giants
  • League: National League

Carl Frederick Rudolf Merkle (1888-1956) was called by a teammate “the smartest man on the club.” One misstep, one quick decision not to continue to 2nd base, left this “gentleman and scholar” to endure the scorn of contemporary fans and much of baseball lore for his infamous “boner,” committed in his rookie year. His boss, John McGraw, was much more forgiving and Merkle went on to fine career, including 5 Series in 8 years.

  • Merkle was the youngest player in the game when he failed to run out what would have been his game-winning (and pennant-winning) hit
  • Umpire Hank O’Day was said to have been looking for the chance to enforce a widely-ignored rule, and chose a moment that got all of baseball’s attention

Auction History

Cartophilia

T201 Mecca Canvas: Fred Merkle

Napoleon Lajoie

First Base
  • Series: Pilgrims
  • City: Cleveland
  • Team: Naps
  • League: American League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Napoleon Lajoie (1885-1959) joined the American League at its inception and became its first superstar en route to a Hall of Fame career as one of the best all time 2nd basemen. In that first year of the junior circuit, Lajoie set a record never exceeded in the AL with a .426 BA (also never exceeded in the modern era in the NL). Won the Triple Crown in 1901 and 4 more AL batting titles.

  • Only Cobb, Ruth, Wagner, Mathewson and Johnson preceded him In the first HOF balloting
  • Was such a hit with Cleveland fans, they voted to name the team the “Naps” in 1903
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1937

Auction History

Cartophilia

T201 Mecca Canvas: Nap Lajoie