Frank Chance

I'd like to meet:

I was the first baseman in the double-play trio of "Tinker to Evers to Chance," immortalized by Franklin Adams in the poem "Baseball's Sad Lexicon." I was dubbed "The Peerless Leader" as he led the Cubs to pennants in 1906-08 and 1910 as their player-manager. Some called me "Husk" because I was husky, strong, and aggressive. I made my opinions known and never backed down from an argument. I ran his clubs with a clenched fist, coming down hard on any player who gave less than 100%. Eventually, I had trouble hearing criticism, or anything at all. Since I crowded the plate, I was too often was beaned, and my hearing was eventually affected. As a result, I developed a peculiar whine which grated on my teammates and opponents.I reached the majors as a catcher and part-time outfielder with Chicago, but when Johnny Kling came along, I shifted to first base. I led the NL with 67 stolen bases in 1903, and with 57 in 1906, when MY 103 runs scored were also the league high. In only six seasons (1903-08) did I play in more than 100 games, but I batted better than .300 in the first four of them. My great success came as a young manager. I was 27 when he took over the Chicago club from Frank Selee in mid-1905; in seven full seasons, I won at least 100 games four times, and never finished lower than third. My .664 winning percentage (768-389) stands as the best in Cubs history. In 1906 the Cubs won 116 games - a major league record - while losing just 36. They lost to the White Sox in the '06 World Series, but defeated the Tigers in the next two. I led all participants in the '08 WS with a .421 batting average.I moved to the Yankees in 1913, but ill health forced me to retire with New York in seventh place in 1914. I returned to California, and owned and managed the Los Angeles (Pacific Coast League) team in 1916-17. I returned East in 1923 to try to rebuild the Red Sox, decimated by the sale of stars (including Babe Ruth) to the Yankees, but finished in the cellar. I was to manage the White Sox in 1924, but my health worsened, Me, Joe Tinker, and Johnny Evers were inducted into the Hall of Fame.