I've been working on revising the book for the upcoming 5th edition (which will be out on Opening Day). Thought I'd share a few of these EveryCubEver entries with you while I worked...
Johnny Evers 1881--1947 (Cubs 1902-1913, Cubs manager 1913)
Johnny Evers was the starting second baseman for the greatest Cubs team of
all-time, the 1906-1910 dynasty. He got his nickname, the Crab, for the way he
sidled up to grounders, but he lived up to his nickname in another way. Evers
was only 120 pounds, but he was known as tough and humorless. For instance, he
didn’t talk to the other half of his double play combination, shortstop Joe
Tinker, for many years. According to Evers, Tinker started the fight in 1907 by
throwing a ball too hard at Evers, breaking his finger. Then he laughed…which
is, of course, unforgivable. The two didn’t talk, other than what they needed
to say on the field, for over thirty years. First baseman/manager Frank Chance
also didn’t like to listen to Evers’ constant bitching. He once considered
moving him to the outfield just so he didn’t have to hear him in his one good ear.
The umpires didn’t like him either. He must have set the record for ejections
after arguments with umpires. But Johnny Evers was a great fielder, a sparkplug
on the offense, and despite his grumpy disposition, deserves his status as a
member of baseball’s Hall of Fame.
