In October 1932, gubernatorial incumbent Gov. Dan Turner was in the political fight of his life, trying to stave off the growing popularity of Clyde Herring. The 1930s were a tough times to be an incumbent politician with America in the throes of the Great Depression, but it was one man’s love of the Chicago Cubs that was about to do Turner in.

Iowans were outraged over an incident a week earlier, when convicted killer Harry Hortman was taken to two games of the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees by a sympathetic warden.

Hortman was serving a life sentence at the state penitentiary in Anamosa for the Nov. 30, 1901 murder of his sweetheart, Florence Porter, in Cherokee. Hortman’s motives are unclear and people who saw him that day say he seemed calm and reasonable as he walked from store to store in downtown Cherokee, seeking to borrow a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson.

Hortman confronted Porter with the gun, chased her down a flight of stairs, and shot her twice in the back. Porter clung to life for a week and forgave Hortmas before dying. On her death bed, she said: "I do forgive Harry, he wouldn't have done it if he hadn't been drinking…I forgive him as I hope to be forgiven." Nonetheless, he was sentenced to death, but granted a new trial two years later. His sentence was amended to life in prison.

By all accounts, Hortman was a model prisoner, known as “Snapper” to inmates and staff. Hortman’s only passion in prison was baseball and his love of the game was so well-known that the penitentiary team was called “The Snappers” for many years. He was always allowed to listen to Chicago Cubs games on the radio and dreamed of visiting Wrigley Field.

In the fall of 1932 the Cubs were closing in on the National League pennant. Hortman was now 56 years old, and in failing health. One day, in the prison yard, Warden Charles Ireland sat down next to Snapper Hortman, and talk turned to Ireland’s plans to get tickets to the World Series for himself and his son. Hortman told him, "Warden, if I could see the Cubs play, I'd be ready to die."

Miraculously, the Cubs made it into the series, getting swept by the Yankees in four games. Ireland attended the last two games with his son and arranged for Hortman to attend with them.  Hortman and the Irelands saw two games, including one of the greatest in baseball history, Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, involving the Babe's famous "Called Shot".

Hortman and the Irelands stayed in a northside hotel overnight at Ireland’s expense; it was a glimpse at freedom for the sickly prisoner, surely one of the greatest days of his life. Ireland's decision caused a mild uproar at home. Herring, expressed outrage publicly at what he described as "pampering" criminals, especially during the depths of the Great Depression. Herring won the election, unseating incumbent Turner.

Turner, who was born March 17, 1877, was also governor during the Iowa Cow War and the Farmer's Holiday. He was born in Corning. He was also influential in the founding of the National Farmers Organization in 1955. He died in 1969 and is reputedly buried somewhere in or near Corning, Iowa.

Nobody really knows what role Hortman’s trip played.

Ireland died the following year and Hortman the year after that, no doubt happy to see his Cubs and Wrigley field..
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