On June 1, 1913, the New York Yankees traded their most talented -- and most troublesome -- player. Hal Chase, the first baseman who'd been accused of dogging it by two different managers in three years, was shipped to the Chicago White Sox for Babe Borton and Rollie Zeider. Sportswriter Mark Roth surveyed the return and called it "an onion and a bunion." Both replacements were gone before the season ended. The trade didn't just remove a problem player from the clubhouse. It confirmed that the franchise's internal dysfunction ran deeper than any single roster move could fix.
Prince Hal's Troubled Tenure
Chase had been one of the most gifted defensive first basemen in baseball history. His fielding was so smooth that contemporaries compared it to watching a ballet dancer at the bag. But talent and effort aren't the same thing, and Chase had a long history of giving less than full commitment when it suited him.
George Stallings, who'd managed the Highlanders before Frank Chance arrived, had lodged the same complaint years earlier. Chase, Stallings argued, was "laying down" -- playing below his ability, either out of spite, laziness, or something darker. The accusation didn't stick publicly at the time, but it planted a seed that Chance would water in 1913.
Chase's hitting had slipped early in the season, and Chance didn't mince words with reporters. He told them directly that Chase was "throwing down me and the team" -- a stunning public accusation from a manager about his own player. In 1913, accusing a star of deliberately underperforming carried serious weight. It questioned not just Chase's commitment but his integrity.
The Trade That Solved Nothing
The June 1 trade was supposed to resolve the Chase problem. Instead, it created new ones. Babe Borton, the first baseman sent from Chicago, provided minimal production and lasted only until the season's end. Rollie Zeider, the other piece, was equally forgettable. The Yankees had traded their best player -- whatever his effort level -- for two replacements who couldn't hold a spot on the roster through September.
Roth's "onion and bunion" quip captured what everyone could see: the Yankees had lost the trade badly by any objective measure. The franchise had rid itself of a headache but gained nothing of value in return. The move highlighted the front office's weak negotiating position -- they needed to move Chase and had no bargaining power to demand quality in return.
The Shadow of Suspicion
Chase's departure from New York didn't end his story. It accelerated it toward a darker conclusion. After leaving the Yankees, Chase bounced through several teams -- the White Sox, the Reds, the Giants -- while whispers about his integrity grew louder. He'd been accused of throwing games, associating with gamblers, and corrupting teammates.
By 1919, those whispers became shouts. Chase was banned from organized baseball after a trial in which evidence of his gambling connections surfaced. His later association with the figures behind the Black Sox scandal -- the fix of the 1919 World Series -- cast a long retrospective shadow over every accusation that Stallings and Chance had made.
The managers who'd called out Chase weren't paranoid. They'd seen something real. And the franchise that traded him, while losing the deal on paper, may have dodged something far worse than a bad return.
What Chance's Accusation Cost
The Chase trade damaged Chance's credibility as much as it solved his roster problems. By going public with accusations against his own player, Chance had broken the unwritten code that demanded managers handle internal conflicts privately. The move alienated some players who wondered whether they'd be the next target of a public callout.
Chance's management style -- confrontational, blunt, intolerant of perceived weakness -- had worked in Chicago, where he'd had the talent to back up his demands. In New York, with a roster that couldn't compete regardless of effort, the same approach felt more like bullying than leadership. The Chase trade became a symbol of Chance's inability to adapt his style to a franchise that needed rebuilding, not discipline.
Aftermath for Both Sides
Chase hit .270 for the White Sox in 1914 and continued his career for several more years before the gambling accusations finally caught up with him. The Yankees, meanwhile, replaced him with a revolving door at first base that wouldn't stabilize until Wally Pipp arrived in 1915.
The 1913 trade sits in an uncomfortable place in franchise history. The Yankees were right about Chase's character -- history proved that beyond doubt. But being right didn't make the trade smart. They got almost nothing in return for a player who, whatever his flaws, was still talented enough to contribute. The lesson was clear: identifying a problem and solving a problem aren't the same thing, especially when you lack the organizational strength to execute the solution properly.
| Trade Date | June 1, 1913 |
| Player Traded | Hal Chase (1B) |
| Traded To | Chicago White Sox |
| Return | Babe Borton, Rollie Zeider |
| Borton/Zeider Tenure | Both gone by season's end |
| Chase's Later Fate | Banned from baseball (gambling) |
| Manager's Accusation | 'Throwing down me and the team' |
Stallings Accuses Chase
Manager George Stallings accuses Hal Chase of "laying down" -- deliberately underperforming. The accusation doesn't result in disciplinary action but establishes a pattern.
Chance Arrives as Manager
Frank Chance signs a three-year, $120,000 contract to manage the Yankees. He inherits Chase on the roster and quickly develops concerns about the first baseman's effort.
Chase's Hitting Declines
Chase's batting performance drops early in the season, confirming Chance's suspicions about the player's commitment level.
Chance Goes Public
Chance tells reporters that Chase is "throwing down me and the team" -- a rare public accusation from a manager about his own player.
Chase Traded to White Sox
The Yankees trade Chase to Chicago for Babe Borton and Rollie Zeider. Sportswriter Mark Roth mocks the return as "an onion and a bunion."
Chase Banned from Baseball
After years of gambling allegations, Hal Chase is banned from organized baseball. The accusations Stallings and Chance made prove prescient.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Yankees trade Hal Chase in 1913?
Manager Frank Chance publicly accused Chase of "throwing down me and the team" -- not giving full effort on the field. This echoed similar accusations from previous manager George Stallings. Chance decided to remove Chase from the roster, trading him to the Chicago White Sox on June 1.
What did the Yankees get for Hal Chase?
The Yankees received Babe Borton and Rollie Zeider from the White Sox. Sportswriter Mark Roth famously dismissed the return as "an onion and a bunion." Neither player lasted past the end of the 1913 season with the Yankees.
Was Hal Chase actually corrupt?
Yes. After bouncing between several teams following the 1913 trade, Chase was eventually banned from organized baseball due to gambling connections. His associations with figures involved in the 1919 Black Sox scandal confirmed the suspicions that managers Stallings and Chance had raised years earlier.