Glove story: Preserving last out of 1945 WS

ATLANTA — If you wish to find someone whose family surpasses that of Pam Burton regarding ties to Major League Baseball, here’s a warning: Your search may last as long as it took the Cubs to reach another World Series. That’s 71 years.

More specifically, when the Cubs hosted the Indians on Friday night in Game 3, Wrigley Field featured a World Series game for the first time since Burton’s father, James “Skeeter” Webb, made the last out of the 1945 Series along the way to the Cubs dropping Game 7 to the Tigers.

Nobody knew then, but the Cubs were off to decades of hearing about demons and curses after Webb fielded a grounder at shortstop from Don Johnson, then stepped on second base for a forceout to make the Tigers World Series champions. Webb saved a couple of items for posterity: His glove and his cap.

Game Date Time (air time/game time) Matchup TV Gm 1 Oct. 25   CLE 6, CHC 0 Gm 2 Oct. 26   CHC 5, CLE 1 Gm 3 Oct. 28   CLE 1, CHC 0 Gm 4 Oct. 29 7:30 p.m./8 p.m. CLE @ CHC FOX Gm 5 Oct. 30 8 p.m. CLE @ CHC FOX *Gm 6 Nov. 1 7:30 p.m./8 p.m. CHC @ CLE FOX *Gm 7 Nov. 2 7:30 p.m./8 p.m. CHC @ CLE FOX * If necessary | All times listed ET • World Series coverageShop for postseason gear: Cubs | Indians

“Yeah, I’ve got them,” said Burton, 64, chuckling to suggest there is more to the story, and here you go: To the chagrin of Burton’s 38-year-old son Joshua, the glove and the cap are somewhere in the loft of her Atlanta home, which is located across the street from fabled East Lake Golf Course, where her husband, Rick, is chairman after a couple of decades as general manager.

• Shop for World Series gear: Cubs | Indians

But let’s return to the glove, a smallish bundle of dark leather that barely is larger than your average adult hand. To Cubs fans, it’s another tangible reminder of their team’s reputation as a lovable loser.

All Burton knows is that after Webb died 30 years ago in Cleveland at age 76, she and her three older siblings divided much of their father’s baseball goodies between themselves and Olive, their late mother. The Skeeter Webb collection was massive and impressive since he played for five teams over 17 Major League seasons through 1948.

Plus, Webb owned a bunch of stuff from his father (Burton’s grandfather), Steve O’Neill, who caught in the Major Leagues for four teams from 1911-28. He hit .333 for the Indians during their victory over the Brooklyn Robins in the 1920 World Series.

In case you’re wondering, we’re …

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