Chicago Cubs infield of shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny Evers, and first baseman Frank Chance
The Spokane Press, September 5, 1910
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
If you need a good bracer to start you right on the day’s job, just say this over to yourself—
“Tinker to Evers to Chance, Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
You have seen the three mysterious words on the sport page “full oft,” as Shakespeare would say, and most of the papers now have that line stereotyped to slip in at a moment’s notice.
The fact of the matter is that the double-play triplets of the Chicago Cubs are astonishing the country with their marvelous run of double-play triplets of the Chicago Cubs are astonishing the country with their marvelous run of double plays, and if the Cubs cop the pennant, as they undoubtedly will, “Tinker to Evers to Chance” will be to blame for it. And then if they wheedle the Athletics out of the world flag, there will be something more in the paper about “Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
The three knights of the double-play preyed upon the mind of a New York writer until he simply had to rush into print with some poetry to get it off his chest. That set some other near poets to scribbling, with the result that the score in the poetry league now stands thusly:
- These are the saddest of possible words:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double –
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”—Franklin Pierce Adams, New York Evening Mail, July 12, 1910
Piteous in Gotham’s the oft written phrase.
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
This is the dope that has Grif in a daze,
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Cardinals, Dodgers and Doves, Phillies fairish,
All know the play that is neat if not garish.
Know how their ambitious rallies can perish,
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Get down your coinc on the double play kids,
“Tinker and Evers and Chance.”
Under the Pirates they’ve slickered the skids,
“Tinker and Evers and Chance.”
Not of the bonehoads whose noodles get twisted.
These with the foxes of balldom are listed—
Grabbing a pennant almost unassisted,
“Tinker and Evers and Chance.”
Aye, there is dolor In Smoketown at this:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
But in Chicago it’s pretty fine biz,
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Here are the regular Windy City queries:
Hunting a pennant pole, ain’t they the Pearys?
Think they will cop on the post season series,
“Tinker and Evers and Chance.”
Chicago Tribune, July 28, 1948
Tinker to Evers to Chance.
Now they are all gone.
Joe Tinker’s death yesterday in Florida brought back nostalgic memories for the last time, of the great double play combination which led the Cubs to world championships in 1908 and 1910—their last ones—and additional National league flags in 1906 and 1907.
In ’07, when the New York Giants were having a difficult time keeping up with the Cubs in the pennant race, a young columnist, Franklin P. Adams, mirrored the frustration of the fans of Coogan’s Bluff when he dashed off these famous lines in the New York World:
“BASEBALL ‘S SAD LEXICON”
- These are the saddest of possible words:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double –
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”—Franklin Pierce Adams, New York Evening Mail, July 12, 1910
Chance died in Los Angeles in September, 1924.
Evers died in Albany, N. Y.. in March, 1947.
Chance played 14 seasons with the Cubs, Tinker 11, and Evers 10.
For your “farewell to three old Cub heroes” scrapbook:
JOE TINKER—Born in Muskoda, Kas., July 27, 1880. Playing weight 175 pounds; height 5 feet 9 inches. Batted and threw right handed. started minor league career in 1900 with Denver in the Western league. Joined Cubs in 1902 and remained thru the 1912 sea-son. In 1906 and 1908 topped all National league shortstops in fielding. A daring and heady base runner. Was especially successful against the pitching of Christy (Big Six) Mathewson of the Giants.
Joe had a habit of borrowing bats from Franke Schulte, Cub right fielder, and sawing off the ends. Played 1,635 games in the majors, went to bat 4,926 times, made 1,554 hits, and had an all time big league batting average of .262. Best year, 1913. when he batted .317 for the Cincinnati Reds. Hit a homer in the 1908 series. Managed Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Whales in the Federal league, and Columbus in the American association.
JOHNNY EVERS—Called The Trojan and The Crab. Born in Troy, N:Y., July 23, 1881. Legend says he weighed only 105 pounds when bought by the Cubs for $250 from Troy of the New York State league. Batted left, threw right.
Played with Cubs from 1904 thru the 1913 campaign. With Braves three seasons and part of 1917, then to Phils when he finished career. Big league record: 1.626 games, 5,380 times at bat, 1,503 hits, .279 all-time average.
FRANK CHANCE—”The Peerless Leader, Born, Sept. 9, 1877. Fresno, Cal. Playing weight, 195 pounds, height, 6 feet 1 inch. Threw and batted right
handed.
Broke in with Cubs in 1898. with them thru entire playing career—14 seasons, ending in 1911. Like Tinker and Evers, a fighting ball player and a natural leader. Big league record: 1,088 games, 3,696 times at bat, 1,096 hits, all-time average .297. stole 308 bases.
Tinker to Evers to Chance.
They not only rubbed out base runners, but on the offense worked the other side of the street by stealing bases.
In 1906 Chance stole 57 bases, Evers 49, and Tinker 30. A total of 136. They were masters of the bases–coming and going!
Left to right—as in their glamorous years on the diamond with the Cubs—Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, Frank Chance. Tinker, last of the storied baseball double play combination, died yesterday in Orlando, Fla.
Leave a Reply