From his EveryCubEver listing...
~Frank Chance 1876–1924 (Cubs 1898-1912)
His real name was Frank Chance, but even his teammates called him “The Peerless Leader.” (Sometimes they just shortened it to “PL”). He was the undisputed leader of the best Cubs team in history, the Cubs of the ’00s. With the Peerless Leader at the helm, they won four pennants and two World Series titles. He allowed the boys to have their fun (he usually bought drinks and played cards with them), but in exchange he expected them to shut down the festivities at midnight the night before games, and to play their hardest during the games. He led by example. Anyone who wondered how to perform merely needed to watch the way Chance fiercely defended his turf and teammates. He was known as a brawler, and he was so unafraid in the batter’s box he was beaned more times than any player of his era, and more times than any other Cubs player in history. (Complications from those beanings eventually ended his career, and probably shortened his life). Chance was a fierce competitor. James J. Corbett, heavyweight champ, called him “one of the best amateur fighters I`ve ever seen.” One time he provoked a riot by punching out Giants pitcher Joe McGinnity at the Polo Grounds. Another time he threw a bottle into the stands at fans in Brooklyn. Chance and his double play mates (Tinker and Evers) were inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1946. Unfortunately for Frank, he had already been dead for 22 years.
