WALLY MAYER

THE LAST ONE FOR 86 YEARS
The biggest crowd of the year sees the Sox win

July 20, 1918 ...  Before 13,500 fans, the largest crowd that has seen a game at Fenway Park this season, the Red Sox beat Ty Cobb and the other Detroit Tigers, 5 to 1. It was a crowd that was on the alert every minute and demonstrated when the occasion demanded. The fans were glad to see Cobb in the game, and although a little injured , he went through the nine innings and gave the fans, one of the thrills they were looking for. Along with Fred Walker, he pulled a double steal in the sixth inning. He had one hit and did not have a chance in the field.

Hooks Dauss turned back Babe Ruth without a blow, but passed him to first in the eighth inning. It was in the field this time, that Babe had a great game. He accepted five chances and some of them were not easy, particularly the one off Cobb in the first inning, when he had to jump to snare a line drive.

For an hour or so before the game started, it threatened to rain and along around 2:45 it seems so bad, that the clubs decided to start the combat 15 minutes later and beat the rain. A little rain fell during the middle of the game, but toward the end of the contest, the sun was out in all its glory.

Sam Jones pitched for the Red Sox and he held Detroit to seven hits. They bunched three of these in the third inning, pushing their lone run across. Behind Jones the Sox played faultlessly.

Harry Hooper, and Stuffy McInnis where the hitting stars, and Walter Mayer, making what was probably his final appearance with the bat, did a swell all-around job. With two Tigers on in the first inning, his sharp throw to first nailed Bobby Veach.

The Tigers scored their one run when Tubby Spencer opened the third inning with a single to center, but was forced by Dauss. Dauss stopped at second when Ossie Bush shot a single to left, and scored when Bobby Jones lined a single to center. Bush was forced at third when Cobb hit one back to Sam Jones, and Ty was forced by Veach at second to end the inning.

In the bottom of the third inning the Sox tied the score. Sam Jones was passed after two were out, and scored when Hooper slammed a long triple to the right-field corner. With Dave Shean up, the suicide squeeze was on and as Hooper dashed fur the plate with two strikes on Shean, Dave swung and missed at the ball pitched.

The Sox scored three runs in the 5th inning. Dauss got in a hole when he passed Mayer and Jones with one gone. Hooper's single scored Mayer from second, and as Frank Walker bobbled the ball, Hooper dashed to second. Shean tried to squeeze Sam Jones in, but Dauss got the bunt and nailed Jones at the plate. Hooper took third on the play, and Shean and stole second. They both scored, when Oscar Stanage tossed Amos Strunk's infield grounder wild to Dauss, who was going over to cover first. The score after five innings was 4 to 1 in favor of the Red Sox. The Sox got one more run in the eighth when Dauss passed Babe Ruth, Stuffy McInnis' single sent him to third, and Everett Scott forced Stuffy McInnis at second, while the Babe scored.

Wally Mayer, received his notice before the game to report for military duty. He lives in Cincinnati and will start for home this afternoon to see his mother and sister, before reporting to Camp Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina.

Before the game, a telegram was received announcing the indefinite suspension of catcher Wally Schang, as a result of his jam with Browns catcher Hank Severeid. It was the shortest suspension on record, because after the game another dispatch game from Ban Johnson lifting the first suspension. Pres. Frazee, during a game got busy wiring Johnson about the drafting of Mayor and his starting catcher am Agnew's injured finger. The suspension would have left the Red Sox without a catcher.