(Harry Pulliam: National League Commissioner )

Harry C. Pulliam was the sixth President of the National League from 1903 until his death on July 29, 1909. In 1908 Harry Pulliam was confronted with a difficult decision: in a game between the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs, when the Giants scored a run to win the game first baseman Fred Merkle (who was the youngest player in the major leagues at the time) was blinded by the victory that he failed to step on second base, which if properly counted would nullify the run and cancel their victory. The fans had rushed the field, leaving the umpire Hank O’Day with no choice but to force the game to be replayed from that point later on. His decision was approved of by Harry Pulliam. When replayed, the Cubs won and went on to win the World Series. This led to the youngest player in the leagues, Merkle, to be blamed for the loss which would tarnish his budding career.

Later the next year, Harry Pulliam would commit suicide in the New York Athletic Club, shooting himself in the head and dying the next day. The newspapers had considered the 1908 decision to be a factor involved.