Player representatives of the two clubs finally got their meeting with the Na­tional Commission at 10 AM the morning of the fifth game of the World Series. The Commission consisted of Ban Johnson, President of the American League, John Heydler, President of the National League, and Garry Herrmann, the owner of the Cincinnati Reds.

The meeting at the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston was brief because the three Commission members insisted that they could not change the rule on payouts without a full vote of the 16 team owners. The players' request woud be consi­dered, but nothing could be done until after Game 5.

That left the players in a quandary. If the Red Sox won Game 5, the Series would be over, and it would be too late to get a concession from the Commission.

The representatives went back to Fenway Park angry. The three commission­ers, thinking they had defused the situation, celebrated. And that meant imbibing lots of liquor.

The two teams gathered in the Red Sox locker room underneath the Fenway Park stands. They agreed that they would not play Game 5 until the Commission gave them a guarantee on the money to be paid to the winners and losers. If the Commission refused, the players would ask that their shares be donated to the Red Cross and go home.

Meanwhile, a large crowd was gathering in the stands. Over 24,000 came in beautiful late-summer-like weather in hopes of seeing their beloved Red Sox clinch another World Series. But fans were puzzled. With only a half hour to go before the 2:30 PM game time, there were no players. Both teams were in their locker rooms on strike. Fearing a riot, Boston mayor John Fitzgerald sent for additional police reinforcements at Fenway Park.

The Commissioners were informed of what was happening while they were get­ting drunk back at the hotel. When they finally arrived at Fenway Park at 2:35, they gathered in the cramped umpires' quarters where they were joined by the two players' representatives, Harry Hooper for Boston and Les Mann for the Cubs.

As the player representatives explained what they were doing and why, they realized that Johnson, Heydler, and Hermann were in no condition to discuss the issues. Herrmann bragged about how much he had done for baseball. Johnson began to cry and pushed Herrmann aside to launch into a rambling, repetitious speech tracing the history of the two leagues. According to Hooper, Johnson put his arm around him and said, "Harry, you know I love you. Go out and play the game."

Harry Hooper said that Johnson told him, "If you don't want to play, don't, but you fellows are putting yourself in a very bad light with the fans. There are going to be wounded soldiers and sailors at the game again today. With a war going on, and fellows fighting in France, what do you think the public will think of you ballplayers striking for more money?"

Both players agreed that further bargaining was hopeless, and that they had no choice but to play the game and hope that the Commission would give them another hearing. Before leaving the meeting, Hooper got Johnson to agree that no players would be punished for the strike.

Meanwhile, the fans were getting restless. Former Boston mayor John Fitzgerald, who had witnessed the negotiations in the umpires' room, grabbed a megaphone and announced that the strike had been settled, and Game 5 would be played.

The Cubs had to win, not only to prolong the Series but to give the players another opportunity to meet with the Commission and present their case for more pay.

Sad Sam Jones started for Boston and Hippo Vaughn for Chicago. Both pitched well.

The Cubs started the scoring in the third. With two out and no one on, SS Charlie Hollocher drew a walk, then stole second. LF Mann, who seemed so unmotivated during Game 4, slashed a double to left field to score Hollocher.

No other runners crossed the plate until the top of the eighth. The Cubs scored two on a walk to RF Max Flack, Hollocher's single, and a double by CF Dode Paskert that sent both runners home.

That was more than enough for Vaughn, who twirled a five-hit shutout. The Red Sox never had more than one man on base in any inning.