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Silent and self-effacing - the antithesis of hot-tempered mentor John McGraw - Burns was a country boy and pool shark from Utica, N.Y. An outstanding leadoff batter who led the NL five times in runs scored and walks, Burns twice topped the league in stolen bases, with a high of 62 in 1914. He had a special knack for playing the Polo Grounds' notorious sun field in left, abetted by a long-billed cap and primitive sunglasses. He was beloved by the rooters in the left field bleachers, or "Burnsville." "Silent George" spent eleven seasons with the Giants, and was sent to Cincinnati after the 1921 World Series in a trade for third baseman Heinie Groh. On his first visit to the Polo Grounds with the Reds, Burns was honored with a day and given a diamond-studded watch. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 27, 1913: Using their bats, the Braves sweep two from the Giants, winning 1–0 and 5–2. In the opener, the lone run scores when Joe Connolly rounds 3B after a single by Bill Sweeney. Giant CF George Burns makes a perfect throw but the ball hits Sweeney's bat on the field and caroms off. George Tyler picks up the win against Christy Mathewson. » July 22, 1913: New York sweeps two from Pittsburgh, winning 8–3 and 2–1 in 11 innings. Al Demaree wins the rout in the opener, and former Pirate Art Fromme, in relief of Christy Mathewson, picks up the victory in the 2nd game. Fred Merkle drives home George Burns to win for New York. The Giants now lead the NL by eight games. » July 25, 1914: New York beats the slumping Pirates, 4–2, with Christy Mathewson topping Babe Adams. Bob Bescher and George Burns each tally two hits and score two runs. » September 7, 1914: The Braves and Giants play an A.M.-P.M. twin bill in Boston on Labor Day. To accommodate the crowds, the Braves have moved their home games to Fenway Park, courtesy of owner Joe Lannin: Fenway has triple the seating capacity of South End Grounds. The two contests draw 74,163 on the day. The Braves, down 4–3 to Christy Mathewson in the 9th, storm back for two runs to win the opener. Josh Devore scratches a single, Herb Moran doubles into the crowd ringing the outfield, and Johnny Evers slaps a single that eludes George Burns to drive home the tying and winning runs. Jeff Tesreau wins the nitecap, 10–1, and the Giants pile on Lefty Tyler. In the Giants' 4-run sixth, Fred Snodgrass takes a pitch on the sleeve to reach 1B, thumbing his nose at Tyler along the way. Lefty retaliates by acting out Fred's 1912 muff. When Snodgrass returns to CF, the crowd is merciless to the point that Boston Mayor Curley rushes on the field and demands the umpires eject the Giant player. John McGraw, worried that Snodgrass might incur an injury, replaces Snodgrass. » September 11, 1917: The Giants sweep the Robins at the Polo Grounds. New York takes the opener 3–2 by scoring the winning run in the 10th on George Burns' inside-the-park homer. They do it again in the nitecap, scoring two runs in the 9th to beat Jack Coombs. Pol Perritt, with relief help in the 9th, wins. » September 17, 1920: The Tigers Bobby Veach and the Giants George Burns hit for the cycle, the only time it has ever happened twice in the same day. The Giants beat Pittsburgh in 10 innings, 4–3, as Burns adds a 2nd double to his cycle. Detroit, behind Veach's 6-for-6, outlasts Boston in 12 innings, despite 20 Bosox batters receiving walks. Eight Tigers walk. » September 20, 1920: At New York, the Giants and Reds break even, with New York taking the 1st game, 5–2, with three unearned runs. The Reds win game 2, 9–3, as Hod Eller strikes out 8, including George Burns three times. Cincinnati 2B Maurice Rath, who will hit only two home runs in 506 ABs, collects both of them in game 2: both are inside-the-park home runs, in the 7th and 8th innings. » December 6, 1921: John McGraw finally gets Heinie Groh from the Reds; it costs him C Mike Gonzalez, OF George Burns, and a reported $250,000. Other figures range as low as $100,000. » May 30, 1922: George Burns, now a member of the Reds, steals home against the Pirates in the 3rd on the front end of a double steal with Greasy Neale,. It is his 28th career steal of home and gives him a new National League record formerly held by Honus Wagner. The Reds win the opener, 9–3, then lose game 2, 7–3, to Johnny Morrison.