» May 9, 1901: In Cleveland, rookie P Earl Moore, purchased from Dayton for $1,000, allows two unearned runs but no White Sox hits through nine innings. Cleveland matches the White Sox with two runs of their own in the 3rd inning. In the 10th, with rain coming down, the Sox use singles by Sam Mertes and Dutch Hartman off Moore, "The Steam Engine in Boots", to score two runs and win, 4-2. The threatening weather keeps the crowd to 400 at League Park.
» June 26, 1903: Before the start of the Giants-Pirates showdown Giants catcher Frank Bowerman starts a fight with Pirates player-manager Fred Clarke in the Giants office. While the cause of the brawl is unclear, Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss reports it to the NL offices and Bowerman is fined $100. Clarke gets no fine, but does take home a black eye. Christy Mathewson then pitches his 5th victory over Pittsburgh, defeating them 8-2, and beating Sam Leever. Sam Mertes, who will lead the NL in doubles and RBIs, doubles home three runs in the 5th.
» August 12, 1903: Giant outfielder Sam Mertes walks five times and New York eases to a 14-4 win over St. Louis.
» June 10, 1904: In the opener of the battle for first place at the Polo Grounds, Christy Mathewson pitches a brilliant one-hitter to beat Chicago, 5-0. The lone hit is Johnny Kling's 4th-inning single. The other action is provided by ump Charlie Zimmer, who ejects Sam Mertes on a strike call. He also thumbs John McGraw, coaching at 3B, to the bench, and sends Dummy Taylor, the 1B coach, to the clubhouse. One wag said later that Taylor was making too much noise.
» June 11, 1904: Before a record-breaking 38,805 at New York's Polo Grounds, Iron Joe McGinnity pitches nine innings of scoreless ball against Chicago. The Colts Bob Wicker goes one better, tossing nine innings without allowing a hit before former Cub Sam Mertes singles with one out in the 10th to break the no hitter. Chicago win it in the 12th, 1-0, when Johnny Evers 2-out single off McGinnity scores Frank Chance. It is Iron Joe's first loss after 14 straight wins. Wicker is flawless, allowing no other hits and striking out 10. Mertes also broke up another no-hitter on May 9th.
» July 15, 1904: Sam Mertes drives in four runs on four hits, including a home run, to lead the Giants to a 5–2 win over the Reds' Bob Ewing. Christy Mathewson, with relief help from Joe McGinnity, is the winner.
» October 4, 1904: In the first of two at New York, the Giants loses to the Cardinals 7-3 despite Sam Mertes' contribution of four hits for the cycle. New York drops the 2nd game in a forfeit in the 4th inning. With New York losing 2-1, three Giants are tossed out by umpire James Johnstone, a Giants nemesis. John McGraw is slow in replacing them on the field, and the ump declares a forfeit to St. Louis. One paper states tomorrow that McGraw didn't have enough players left on the bench to field a team.
» July 21, 1905: At the Polo Grounds, the Giants score six runs in the 2nd inning against St. Louis, with Sam Mertes' grand slam providing the big blow. Christy Mathewson is given the afternoon off after five innings, with New York in command, 10-2. New York wins, 14-2, pinning the loss on Jack Taylor.
» July 24, 1905:
Giant LF Sam Mertes makes an unassisted double play to help New York stop the Reds, 4-3, at the Polo Grounds. In the 2nd inning, the Reds have one out and a runner on 3rd, outfielder Cy Seymour, once a wild pitcher for the Giants. Mertes catches a short fly off the bat of George Schlei and continues running to double off Cy.
» July 25, 1905: Christy Mathewson wins his 16th, defeating the Reds, 7-2. The game was close until Frank Bowerman belts a 3-run homer in the 8th for the Giants. Cincy fans get a scare in the 1st inning when Reds C Ed Phelps is knocked unconscious when he struck by the back swing of Sam Mertes. Phelps is rushed to a hospital.
» July 14, 1906: At Robison Field, the Giants clip the Cardinals 5-1 and 4-0 with the help of two additions to the lineup. Cy Seymour, last year's near triple-crown winner, is a new addition from the Reds for $12,000. Seymour was with the Giants from 1896 to 1900 as a pitcher and outfielder, and in 1905 led the NL in batting, RBIs, slugging percentage, and 2nd in homers (8). Cy has four hits for the Giants today. The other addition is Spike Shannon, who moves over from the Cardinal dugout in exchange for Sam Mertes and Doc Marshall. Spike has three hits and two runs in the opener. Mathewson wins the nitecap, shutting out the Birds on six hits.
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