Stealing home: a lost art in major league baseball: swiping a run was once a common offensive tool that created excitement for fans, but today it is rarity

When Heving paused, preparing to throw his first pitch to the batter, Taylor took off from third, thundering toward the plate. The flustered Heving's pitch was high, and Taylor scored the run with a steal that eliminated the Giants from the race. The Cubs, however, didn't benefit much from Taylor's theft, finishing the season in second place behind the Cardinals.

It wasn't the first time Giants manager McGraw had been burned by a steal of home. It had happened most memorably in World Series play.

As mentioned already, the most recent (relatively!) World Series theft of home was accomplished in 1964 by McCarver. His was the 13th in a World Series, and seven came on double steals. Robinson is the last to pilfer it on his own, four years after Monte Irvin of the Giants did it against the Yankees in 1951.

Only one player has stolen home twice in World Series play. Bob Meusel of the Yankees did it against McGraw's Giants in 1921, and against the Cardinals in 1928.

The Yankees, led by Ruth, were making their first Series appearance ever, and shocked the Giants immediately, winning the opener 3-0. The most exciting play of the game came when Yankee third baseman Mike McNally stole home.

The Yankees also won the second game 3-0, with Ruth stealing a couple of bases, but having the spotlight stolen from him by Meusel. The center fielder barreled in from third base in the fifth inning, and kicked the ball loose from the grasp of Giants catcher Earl Smith.

The ensuing rhubarb, with McGraw berating Smith, drew intemperate language from the catcher, who was fined 8200 by Commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis.

McGraw claimed to be upset more by the thefts than the defeats.

"Losing two 3-0 games is bad enough, but having them steal home on me in two consecutive days, that's what really hurts," he told writer Fred Lieb.

The hurt surely eased when the Giants won the best-of-nine Series in eight games.

Meusel's second World Series theft of home came in 1928 against the Cardinals. It occurred on a double steal in the sixth inning of Game 3 while Tony Lazzeri was swiping second base en route to a 7-3 victory, and a Yankees sweep of the four games. It was the Series in which Ruth went 10-for-18 with three home runs and three doubles.

While Ruth never made it from third to home on a steal in a World Series, he came close. In the eighth inning of Game 2 of the 1922 Series, again against the Giants, Ruth charged the plate and slammed into catcher Charlie Berry. But Meusel had fouled off the pitch, and to make matters worse Ruth was shaken up. Hampered by the injury, he went 2-for-17 in the Series the Giants won in five games.

An unfriendly critic wrote: "The exploded phenomenon didn't surprise the smart fans who long ago realized he couldn't hit smart pitching. Ruth therefore is no longer a wonder."

The gentleman's crystal ball was clouded. Ruth's misfortune of 1922, however, is another example of how an attempt to steal home can influence the course of a Series or a season, just as Cubs outfielder Danny Taylor's successful dash did in 1930..