Watertown in Jefferson County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Fred Merkle Field

Photographed By Dawn Toman, June 30, 2013

1. Fred Merkle Field Marker

Inscription. Fred C. Merkle was born in Watertown, WI on Dec. 20, 1888 to Ernst and Anna Amalia (Thielmann) Merkle. He made his major league debut as a first baseman with the New York Giants on 9-21-07 at the age of 18. During his 16 years in the majors, he played for the Giants, Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers), Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. With Merkle, each of these teams advanced to the World Series, totaling six times. Throughout his career, he displayed a blend of speed and power. He had eight seasons with 20 or more stolen bases and a solid .273 career batting average in an era dominated by pitching and defense. Teammates and opponents considered Merkle one of the smartest players in the game. Merkle was the only player who Giants manager John McGraw consulted on strategic decisions.

Erected 2010 by Keith Olbermann, Mike Cameron, David J. Stalker and the fans of Fred Merkle.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is December 20, 1888.

Location. 43° 11.094′ N, 88° 42.756′ W. Marker is in Watertown, Wisconsin, in Jefferson County. Marker is on South 12th Street, 0.2 miles south of Western Avenue, on the left when traveling south. The marker is located near Fred Merkle baseball field in Washington Park. Touch for map

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. Marker is at or near this postal address: 635 South 12th Street, Watertown WI 53094, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. In Honor of the 1955 Watertown High School State Baseball Champions (a few steps from this marker); Adrian Joss / John P. "Red" Kleinow (a few steps from this marker); Octagon House (approx. ¼ mile away); Richards Hill Ski Slide Site (approx. ¼ mile away); Plank Road Pioneer Barn (approx. ¼ mile away); First Kindergarten (approx. ¼ mile away); Fred C. Merkle (approx. ¼ mile away); Plank Road (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Watertown.

Also see . . . A report on the dedication of the marker. (Submitted on July 6, 2013, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.)

Additional commentary.
1. Smart, but made one of baseball's biggest blunders
The marker says "Teammates and opponents considered Merkle one of the smartest players in the game" (which I have heard as well), but omitted from the marker is that today Merkle is known (by some) as "Bonehead" because of his base-running mistake on September 23, 1908, which would cost the Giants a win. Without that win, the 1908 National League season ended tied, and in a one-game playoff, Merkle's team lost and did not make the World Series. More details about this at Wikipedia

Photographed By Dawn Toman, June 30, 2013

2. Fred Merkle Field Marker

The Fred Merkle Field marker is on the building in the left background, the Adrian Joss / John P. "Red" Kleinow marker is near the center of the photo, and the In Honor of the 1955 Watertown High School State Baseball Champions marker is on the left.

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I realize that the objective of writing the marker without mentioning this was to give the broadest summary of his major league career, which it is successful at, but readers of this marker may hear others speaking about Merkle in much more negative ways.

— Submitted April 11, 2024, by Paige Miller of Getzville, New York.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 6, 2013, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 542 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 6, 2013, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.