Errors in World Series History

From Boss Schmidt to Bill Buckner, How Errors Can Change the Outcome of the World Series

It's been over a week since the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series, and what many people are talking about are the errors that were made by the pitching staff and third baseman Brandon Inge. During this year's Series, a total of 11 errors were made between both teams. But did you know, that is actually AVERAGE for a World Series? Yes, you read that right: 11 errors is average.

I became curious about the history of baseball errors, so I pulled out 100 Years of the World Series by Eric Enders. It is a wonderful book, revealing all the backstabbing, bickering and funny stories of the players, managers and owners. Some of the stories I had heard before, others I was reading for the first time. From the dark days of the Black Sox scandal to the two Series, 1904 and 1994, that were cancelled, everything you wanted to know about the game is in this book.

Here are a few of the errors made over the years. (The winning teams are listed first, i.e. Chicago Cubs)

1907 - Chicago Cubs vs. Detroit Tigers

Everyone knows that you need a good catcher behind the plate who can pick off runners trying to steal bases as well as catch the wild throws of a pitcher. Too bad Detroit didn't have a catcher like that during this Series. Charles "Boss" Schmidt turned in an awful defensive performance, allowing the Cubs to steal seven bases in ONE game. He also had two throwing errors and two passed balls as the Tigers lost to the Cubs four games to zip. 19 total errors were made by both teams - ten by the Cubs, nine by the Tigers.

1909 - Pittsburg Pirates vs. Detroit Tigers