Career
Gill is best known for failing to touch second base in a game against the Chicago Cubs on September 4, 1908. With the game tied at 0 in the bottom of the 10th, Chief Wilson stroked a two-out single that scored the winning run. However, Johnny Evers saw that Gill didn"t touch second base.
Umpire Hank O"Day, the only umpire working the game that day, said he didn"t see it and called the game over with a Pirates victory.
Three weeks later on September 23, 1908, New York Giants player Fred Merkle repeated Gill"s error during a game against the Cubs. The Cubs" capitalization of this error was followed by a losing streak which became known as the Curse of Fred Merkle.