Chicago Tribune, July 15, 1910
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.”
