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Jack Harper
“[Jack] Harper’s career in baseball has been rather sensational,” noted a sportswriter in 1908. At the major league level, the pitcher began with the worst of all teams, the 1899 20-134 Cleveland Spiders, and finished with one of the greatest, the 1906 116-36 Chicago Cubs. In between lay betrayal, court rulings, moments of near greatness, and lapses of effort, topped with a memorable myth that has wound its way through a century of baseball history.
“Harper was pitching for the Reds at a salary of $4500. In one game he hit Frank Chance three times with pitched balls, the last one rendering Chance unconscious. Chance accused Harper of hitting him purposely and informed the pitcher of his intention of ‘putting him out of the business.’ That winter President Murphy made a trade with Cincinnati. Chance insisted upon having Harper in the trade. Cincinnati traded Harper to Chicago and the Cubs offered Harper a salary of $1500. Chance told Harper he had him; that he would either sign that contract or quit.”
In the century since, a fitting coda has been added to the story: after signing Harper, Chance then spitefully benched the pitcher for virtually the entire season, allowing him to pitch but one inning for the 116-36 pennant winning Cubs, and destroying his career.
It is a grand old tale, but with little basis in fact. - SABR bio
As requested, even though the one in the pack is better than the older zombie one in the original request.
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