Fly the W for Lennie Merullo, the last 1945 Chicago Cub!

Lennie Merullo, Shortstop, Chicago Cubs, 1941-1947

About fifteen years ago, I was doing some research for my book, Oliver’s Game, when I came across a familiar name: Lennie Merullo. This Lennie Merullo played shortstop for the 1945 Chicago Cubs, the last time the Cubs made it to the World Series. But the Lennie Merullo I knew was my elementary school gym teacher.

So I tracked down my old gym teacher, and he confirmed that the Chicago Cub Lennie Merullo was, in fact, his uncle. Not only that, but he was still around, and lived a couple towns over from me. Lennie Merullo, the gym teacher, even gave me his uncle's phone number.

So I called Lennie Merullo, the shortstop, hoping he might agree to meet with me to answer a few questions. He was very nice, and offered to stop by my apartment for a visit, which was perfect, because I hoped that if the interview went well, he might be willing to pose for me as one of the main characters in the book, Grandpa Hall. I had built a fake baseball card store in my basement to use as the setting for my story (Grandpa Hall ran a store called Hall's Nostalgia). Having an actual member of the 1945 Cubs pose in the baseball card store I had created sounded too good to be true!

I had some questions prepared, but as soon as Lennie walked in and saw all the old memorabilia, especially the 1942 Cubs jersey, he just started talking. He told amazing, vivid stories about his playing days, stuff I would never have thought to ask about. I don’t think I even ended up asking any questions. I just listened.

Lennie Merullo talking to Cord, who posed as the grandson in Oliver's Game

He had met Babe Ruth and come up to bat against Satchel Paige. He had once committed 4 errors in the same inning, but he had a good excuse: he had just learned that his wife had given birth to their first child.

He brought an old gym bag filled with all kinds of things, including an authentic Wrigley Field “W” flag, which came with a funny story I don’t completely remember about a goofy teammate who thought the "W" stood for “weather”. I remember Lennie cracking up, saying, “He thought it meant ‘Weather Flag!”.

He was happy to pose as Grandpa Hall (though he was mildly offended when I asked him to use a cane as a prop). I realized quickly that I didn’t even have to explain who this character was. Grandpa Hall was a man who loved baseball to his core, even years after his ability to play the game had been taken away from him. Grandpa Hall said that every item in his shop had a story to tell. I didn't need to describe the character to Lennie Merullo because he was the character. It was magical.

Another picture of Lennie Merullo telling stories

When Oliver's Game was published, Lennie and his wife came to the book release party. He even signed some books, if I remember correctly. Over the years he surprised me at a few other book events. It was always great to see him, and he never got tired of talking about baseball.

When Lennie passed away last year at the age of 98, he was the last remaining member of the 1945 Chicago Cubs World Series team. I wish he could have stuck around one more year. I’ll be thinking of him tonight, when the Cubs play in game 7 of the World Series.

Go Cubs!

Fly the Weather Flag!

Grandpa Hall and Oliver, from Oliver's Game, Candlewick Press, 2004

Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Lennie Merullo, and me

Here's a little behind-the-scenes story from my book, Oliver's Game:

The man who posed for me as Grandpa Hall actually played for the Chicago Cubs in the 1940's. His name is Lennie Merullo, and he was the starting shortstop for the Cubs the last time they made it to the World Series, in 1945!

I originally just wanted to interview Mr. Merullo, but once he started talking, I realized he was exactly how I pictured Grandpa Hall- just the right age, and overflowing with amazing stories about his days as a big league ballplayer. So I asked if he'd pose for me, and he did.  Mostly he just kept telling stories, and I took pictures.

One of my favorite stories he told was about how he managed to accumulate an incredible collection of three game-used baseball bats that had belonged to Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Ted Williams!

Here he is, in the fake baseball card store I built in my basement:

After the book was done, I was doing a school visit in Reading, Mass. I didn't know it, but Lennie's grand-daughters were students at the school, and he decided to pay me a surprise visit. And he brought something with him- a bag with three baseball bats in it!

They weren't in any sort of protective cases, just 3 old wooden bats in a canvas bag, like he was heading to the field to hit some fungoes. He let me hold the bats, and even swing them. It was pretty surreal to know I was swinging bats that Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, and Babe Ruth actually used in games. Here are a few pictures:

Lennie Merullo, his family, and me, with Ted Williams's bat and Babe Ruth's bat

This was years ago, and looking at these pictures, I'm not completely sure which bat is which. I think this was the Ted Williams bat, since the handle is a bit thinner:

me with Ted Williams's bat

And I think this is the Babe Ruth bat. Or maybe it's the other way around. Either way, what a thrill! I bet there aren't too many bats like this out there, that you can just pick up and swing.

me with Babe Ruth's bat