Although he had a lengthy career, he is best remembered for a controversial base-running mistake he made as a rookie while still a teenager.

In April 1917, the Robins sold Merkle to the Chicago Cubs, the team against which he had made his infamous play in 1908, with whom he continued as the regular first baseman through 1920.

Since Merkle had not touched the base, the umpire called him out on a force play, meaning that McCormick's run did not count.

The Giants and the Cubs ended the season tied for first place and had a rematch at the Polo Grounds, on October 8.

The New York Times account of the play recalls that Cubs manager and first baseman Frank Chance was the one who "grasped the situation" and directed that the ball be thrown to him covering second base.

However, Evers, who was noted as an avid student of the official rules of the game, had previously attempted the same play only a few weeks earlier, in Pittsburgh, with the same Hank O'Day umpiring.

In that instance, O'Day had not seen whether the runner tagged second, so he declined Evers' appeal, but he apparently was alert to the possibility in the New York game.

Giants manager John McGraw was furious at the league office, feeling his team was robbed of a victory (and a pennant), but he never blamed Merkle for his mistake.

Bitter over the events of the controversial game, Merkle avoided baseball after his playing career ended in 1926.

Merkle died in Daytona Beach at age 67, and was interred there in Bellevue Cedar Hill Memory Gardens.