Hank O'Day

The Cubs have a new Hall of Famer. His name is Hank O'Day. O'Day played in the big leagues, and managed for the Cubs, but he is really being inducted as an umpire. From the Tribune...

The Hall call: The Hall of Fame added three new members from the pre-World War II era Monday, including Chicago native and former Cubs manager Hank O'Day.

O'Day will enter the Hall along with former Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, who acquired Babe Ruth, and Deacon White, a 19th century star, July 28 in Cooperstown.

While he will be recognized on his plaque as a 30-year umpire, O'Day began in baseball as a pitcher, managed the Cubs in 1914 and later served as a scout. He was chosen to umpire the first modern World Series in 1903.

A 16-member panel of Hall of Famers, executives and media elected the three from an original list of 10.

His most famous moment, however, was during the infamous Merkle Boner game. He was the umpire that scored the Cubs their final pennant...

Cubs 365, December 4

On this day in 1944, former Cubs catcher Roger Bresnahan passed away at the age of 65. He was elected into the Hall of Fame by the veterans committee the following year.

Roger Bresnahan was very proud of his Irish roots. He told everyone he was born in the Irish city of Tralee. That led to his awesome baseball nickname: the Duke of Tralee. It wasn't until after he died, that his friends and former teammates discovered that Roger was actually born and raised in Toledo, Ohio.

Despite that little deception, Bresnahan was one of the all-time great catchers. He was Christy Mathewson's catcher with the New York Giants, and was involved in that infamous Merkle Boner game in 1908. It wasn't until his last three years in the big leagues that he came to Chicago. He wasn't the same player by then, but was still revered for his smarts and moxie.

So much so, the Cubs eventually hired him to manage the team. He was their player/manager for the 1915 season and led them to a fourth place finish. That was the final season in West Side Grounds. The next year the Cubs moved into what is now known as Wrigley Field.