Editor’s note: This post contains spoilers from the series finale of HBO’s Succession
CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Sunday night marked the end of HBO’s ‘Succession’ and a fan theory regarding the show and a former Cleveland Indian proved to be on the money.
First a little history.
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Bill Wambsganss, born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1894, played second base for the Cleveland Naps/Indians from 1914-1923. His claim to fame: turning the only unassisted triple play in World Series history in Game 5 of the 1920 World Series for the Indians against Brooklyn at League Park.
Wambsganss, who finished with a career batting average of .259 and a .954 fielding percentage, was traded to the Boston Red Sox where he played two years and then in 1926 for the Philadelphia Athletics before his Major League career came to an end.
Fast forward now to HBO’s critically acclaimed series ‘Succession’ and Tom Wambsgans, played by Emmy-award winning actor Matthew Mcfayden.
Last week on TikTok, Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of Nameberry, posted her theory that Tom Wambsgans' character, or at least the surname, was a nod to the Indians great and how the surname foreshadowed the show’s conclusion.
“It's no coincidence that Tom shares a surname with Bill Wambsganss,” Kihm said in the video that went viral. “So you have to wonder if Tom will complete an unassisted triple play and take out all three of the Roy siblings to become the leader of Waystar Royco in the Succession finale.”
Although the writers of the show have yet to confirm that using Wambsgans was indeed a nod to the former Indians World Series champion, Kihm’s theoretical outcome for the show was dead on.
Tom in fact did take out the three Roys – Kendall, Roman and Shiv, his wife who turned against her brothers at the very end by casting the deciding vote approving the sale of Waystar Royco to Lukas Matsson leaving Tom Wambsgans in charge to do Matsson’s bidding.
All four seasons of ‘Succession’ are streaming on MAX.