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| McGraw's support of Chase was the precursor to an even more bizarre event. The careers of Chase, Mathewson and McGraw intertwined into something strange and almost comic. Two weeks after his trial, Chase was traded to the Giants for two players, Walter Holke and Bill Rariden. He signed a contract to play for the Giants on March 4, 1919. That same day, Mathewson, returned from the war, signed with the team as assistant manager and coach! Appreciating the irony of the situation, Chase might have been able to laugh the whole season long. Unfortunately, the twilight of his career was approaching fast. The Giants were involved in a pennant race with the Reds in 1919. Hal sprained his wrist on September 4 and was replaced in the lineup the next day. He appeared in games on the September 6th and 15th. McGraw left the team on September as Cincinnati beat the Giants to win the pennant. Mathewson piloted the club for the rest of the season. Where was Chase? He became Matthewson's first base coach! On September 25, 1919, Hal Chase made his final appearance in a major league baseball game. He pinch hit, making a double and driving in one run. Many writers have penned that Chase and Heinie Zimmerman were mysteriously dropped from the Giants roster in late September. This is not the case, as both were on the team's reserve list submitted to National League President Heydler on October 18, 1919. The final undoing of Chase's major league baseball career was revealed by sportswriter Fred Lieb, as told to him by National League President Heydler: "I was never satisfied with my earlier acquittal of Chase. I was unconvinced. Eventually, I got a photographic copy of Chase's cancelled check for five hundred dollars given him by a gambler as pay for throwing a game in 1918. I took this evidence to (Giants owner) Charles Stoneham saying: 'When I permitted Chase to play early last spring I had no real proof of Hal's throwing a game. Now I have that proof.' I handed him the affidavit and Chase's cancelled check..."Please notify your manager that Chase will not play in any future game with the Giants. Stoneham said , 'If thats the way it is, thats it.' |
