Herbie Moran was a late-season acquisition in the Boston Braves’ pennant drive, acquired for his speed and outfield defense.

He was from Costello, Potter County, Pennsylvania, in the north-central part of the state, not far from the New York state line. Herbie played baseball at the Peddie Institute, a private boarding school in Hightstown, New Jersey, before starting his pro career in 1905 with the hometown Coudersport Giants in the Class D Interstate League.

In 1906 he played for the DuBois Miners in the same league and in 1907 moved to Trenton of the Class B Tri-State League. There he began to attract the attention of major-league scouts for his superb fielding and fine baserunning. He was a ballhawk with a rifle arm and a ferocious competitive spirit.

Herbie signed with the Philadelphia Athletics and made his major-league debut in 1908. However, after he batted .153 in 19 games, he was sent back to Trenton.

The Boston Doves (Braves) purchased his contract from Trenton in September, but he went back and forth between the majors and the minors over the next few seasons.

In 1909 he was at Providence and led the Eastern League with 92 runs scored, earning another brief shot at the big leagues. He started the 1910 season with the Braves, but only hit for a .119 average.

In May, he was released to the Kansas City Blues of the American Association. Less than one month later he was with Rochester in the Eastern League. After hitting .291, Herbie was picked up by the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers), but spent all of 1911 in Rochester.

Herbie spent the next four seasons in the major leagues. In January 1914 Brooklyn placed him on waivers and he was acquired by the Cincinnati Reds. In August, he was sold to the Braves, who wanted him to help in their remarkable run to the pennant.

In the last game he would play for the Reds, Herbie would hit a game-winning ninth-inning double to send the New York Giants down to a 3-2 defeat and into a tie with the surging Braves.

Manager George Stallings acquired Herbie in order to be able to platoon his outfielders. He would play in 41 of the 46 games the Braves would play after his acquisition.

Herbie would start all three World Series games against right-handed pitchers and would sit out the game started by a lefty. But he would end up being one of the heroes of the Braves’ World Series sweep.

Game #3 would go into extra innings at Fenway Park. Philadelphia would take the lead by scoring two in the top of the tenth, but the Braves would come back and score two of their own in the bottom of the inning. Neither team would score in the 11th.

Hank Gowdy would lead off the 12th with a double. Leslie Mann would come in to run for him and Larry Gilbert would be walked intentionally. With two on and nobody out, Herbie would bunt and it would go straight to the mound. A's pitcher, Joe Bush, would pick up the ball and fire to third, trying to force Mann. But his throw would be wild, Mann would score the winning run and Herbie would get credit for winning the World Series for the Braves with a sacrifice bunt. It would be the first walk-off victory in a World Series game.www.fenwayparkdiaries.com

Herbie Moran (pic)

After reading this story, you can support Fenway Park Diaries by clicking "Follow", which helps earn money from Facebook