After the publication of Franklin Pierce Adams’ “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon” in The New York Evening Mail in 1910, two poems were written three years later to mark the end of the double play combination and relationships that had devolved into public feuding.
James P. Sinnott, Adams’ colleague at The Evening Mail, penned “Said Tinker to Evers to Chance,” lamenting the fate of the three—all three now managers, Johnny Evers’ Cubs finished third, Frank Chance’s Yankees and Joe Tinker’s Reds finished seventh.
Then there was a poem commissioned by The Day Book, the Chicago-based Scripp’s-McRae owned free daily paper and written by poet Berton Braley, called “Ballads of Past Glories.” Which ended with the line:
“Fans, we may rightly be blue, over the land’s vast expense;
Busted this trio—boo hoo! ‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
But they were not the only two poems to pay homage to Adams. One poem appeared about a month after the publication of “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon.” First, in The Chicago Daily News, then later printed in papers across the country, attributed only to “some other near poets:
“Piteous in Gotham’s the oft written phrase,
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.’
This is the dope that has Grif in a daze,
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.’
Cardinals, Dodgers and Doves, Phillies
fairish
All know the play that is neat if not
garish
Know how their ambitious rallies can
perish
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.’
Get down your coin on the double-play
kids
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.’
Under the Pirates they’ve slickered the
skids
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance,’
Not of the boneheads whose noodles get
twisted,
These with the foxes of balldom are
listed—
Grabbing a pennant almost unassisted,
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.’
Aye, there is a dolor in Smoketown at
this:
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.’
But in Chicago it’s pretty fine biz,
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.’
Here are the regular Wind City
queries:
Hunting a pennant pole, ain’t they the
Pearys?
Think they will cop the post-season series.
‘Tinker to Evers to Chance.’”
Baseball History Daily 