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September 23, 2008

Boner or Blunder?

In 1908, the New York Giants' Fred Merkle made one of the most infamous plays in baseball history, a baserunning error that ultimately cost the Giants the pennant and went down in history as "Merkle's boner." Except to the New York Times, who—perhaps thinking you may assume that Merkle caught sight of a lady's bare ankle—decided to term his mistake a "blunder."

Merkle
The Grey Lady has her standards, we suppose. Other publications aren't quite so prudish:

Peoria Journal Star: "'Merkle's Boner' Part of Baseball."

Chicago Tribune: "100-year anniversary of 'Merkle's Boner.'"

Sports Illustrated: "As my friend Drew Olson of OnMilwaukee.com and the D-List radio show on ESPN 1510 in Milwaukee put it in an instant message, 'Worst. Defeat. Ever.'' Excepting for maybe Mickey Owen and Fred Merkle's Boner, I'd have to concur."

Before you go blaming the Peoria Journal-Star for the moral degradation of society, though, you should know there are still certain words nobody will publish. The Grey Lady stiffly approves.







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