Named for his hometown of Bedford, Indiana, Rariden was a light-hitting catcher who
became a regular in the Federal League and later was involved in one of the most
famous plays in World Series history. He helped the Indianapolis Hoosiers to the
pennant in 1914, leading FL catchers in putouts and assists. He repeated in those
categories in 1915, also leading in total chances per game and errors, and had his
best offensive season, batting .270 and setting career highs with 30 doubles, seven
triples, and 49 runs. He also showed a good eye, walking 60 times for a .357 on-base
percentage.
A standout behind the plate, Rariden was purchased from Newark by John
McGraw when the Federal League folded, and caught most of the games in the Giants'
26-game winning streak in 1916. He led NL catchers in putouts and total chances per
game in 1916 and helped the Giants to the NL pennant in 1917 with a career-high .271
average. In the World Series, he drove in a run in New York's 3-2 Game Four victory,
but in Game Six White Sox runner Eddie Collins eluded him in a rundown, and Rariden
then neglected to cover home as Heinie Zimmerman vainly chased Collins across the
plate. In February 1919 he was traded to the Reds for Hal Chase and was a backup
on their World Championship team in that, his final, season.
(NLM)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»January 20, 1916: The Giants buy Edd Roush from the Newark Tip Tops (Federal League) for $7,500. Roush will hit just .188 in New York before being packaged to Cincinnati, where he will blossom into a Hall of Famer. Along with Roush come the contracts of C Bill Rariden from the Peps, infielder Bill McKecknie, spitballer Fred Anderson from the Buffalo Bufffeds (AKA the Blues), and Federal League star, the colorful Benny Kauf. The total proce is $65,000.
»July 19, 1916: At Chicago, the Giants edge the Cubs, 8–6, as New York CF Benny Kauff tags out two runners at 2B for a double play. With one out the Cubs load the bases. Giant catcher Bill Rariden throws to 2B and catches the runner, Les Mann, off. In the rundown, the runner on 3rd breaks for home and scores when the Giants fumble. But the ball is recovered and the throw to Kauff covering 2nd gets the runner sliding back. Kauff then looks up and tags the runner trying to advance from 1B to end the inning.
»October 15, 1917: After Red Faber and Rube Benton match three scoreless innings in Game Six, Eddie Collins leads off the 4th and hits a grounder to Heinie Zimmerman at 3B. Collins takes 2nd when the throw gets past 1B Walter Holke. Joe Jackson's fly to RF is dropped by Dave Robertson, and Collins goes to 3B. When Happy Felsch hits one back to the pitcher, Collins breaks for home. Benton throws to 3B to catch Collins, and C Bill Rariden comes up the line. But with Zimmerman in pursuit Collins keeps running and slides home safely. Zimmerman will be blamed for chasing the runner, but nobody was covering home plate. The Giants come back with two runs on Buck Herzog's triple in the 4th, but Faber wins his 3rd of the Series 4–2. The winners earn $3,669.32 each; the losers $2,442.21. One-fourth of each team's share, about $4,000, is divided equally among the clubs in each league.
»February 5, 1919: Charges brought in 1918 by Reds owner Garry Herrmann and manager Christy Mathewson against Hal Chase for betting against his team and throwing games in collusion with gamblers are dismissed by National League president John Heydler. Heydler decides Chase's sometimes indifferent play was due to "carelessness." Two weeks later John McGraw trades 1B Walter Holke and C Bill Rariden to the Reds for Chase, but the Giants will also have their problems with him. In September, McGraw will send Chase and Heinie Zimmerman home without explanation; during the investigation of the Black Sox scandal in 1920, McGraw will testify that the dismissal was because both players had thrown games and tried to enlist Fred Toney and Benny Kauff in their scheme.
»September 3, 1933:
At Cincinnati, the Reds clip the Pirates, 9–3, the first loss for the Bucs in nine games. The Pirates now trail the Giants by eight games. Red Lucas goes all the way for the win, as the Reds shell rookie Ralph Birkofer. After the game, Edd Roush's old-timers defeat Buck Herzog's Nine, 8–5, called after five innings on account of "tiredness." Ninety three old timers turn out and about half take a turn at the plate. Roush's squad includes Pat Duncan, Larry Kopf, Bill Rariden, and Rube Bressler, all stars on the Reds 1919 team. Donie Bush and Honus Wagner are the shortstops.
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