Voting Station

Fred Merkle

Please vote to return to collections.

Scapegoat

The Resume

    (December 20, 1888-March 2, 1956)
    Died at 67 in Daytona, Florida
    First baseman for the New York Giants from 1907 to 1916, for the Brooklyn Robins from 1916 to 1917 and the Chicago Cubs from 1917 to 1927
    Stopped running for second base in a 1908 pennant game, forcing the game to end in a tie
    Nicknamed Bonehead

Why he might be annoying:

    The failure of the Giants to enter the World Series in 1908 was blamed entirely on him.
    He played in five World Series for three teams and his team lost every time.
    For a while after the bonehead play, the word merkle was used to describe not showing up on time.

Why he might not be annoying:

    It was common practice in those days to stop running for the base once the winning run had scored, as the rule against it had never been enforced.
    He was an excellent chess player.
    He shares the record for most RBIs in one inning (6) with eight other players.
    He only played in seven games in his last season, but hit .385 in them.
    Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem said calling Merkle out in the bonehead play was 'the worst decision in the history of baseball.'

Credit: Eegah


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 92.31% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 39 Votes: 7.69% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 12 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 19 Votes: 57.89% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 62 Votes: 37.10% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 46 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 72 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 101 Votes: 60.40% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 184 Votes: 49.46% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 243 Votes: 42.39% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 80 Votes: 33.75% Annoying