Abbaticchio was the first prominent player of obvious Italian ancestry. He led the National League with 610 at-bats for Boston in 1905. When the 1908 season ended with a playoff between the Cubs and Giants, Abbaticchio’s Pirates were a half-game out. They had lost the pennant when Abbaticchio’s apparent grand slam against the Cubs was called foul. Later, a woman who was struck by the ball sued for damages and swore in court that the ball had been fair.