Fraser seemed to waver again and gave Mylert his base on balls. Then big Burkett, the head of the batting order, strode to the plate.
Amid frantic adjurations from the crowd to “kill the ball,” he caught the second one pitched and sent a screaming liner far out toward the right field wall.
Cooper, the fleet Red Sox right fielder, had started for it at the crack of the bat. On, on he went, running like a deer.
Thirty-five thousand people were on their feet, yelling like maniacs, while Joe, Mylert and Burkett raced round the bases.
Ball and man reached the wall at the same instant. The gallant player leaped high in the air. But the ball just touched the tips of his fingers and rolled away, while Joe and Mylert dented the rubber, Burkett halting when he reached second.
Then the crowd went crazy.
The game was over. It had been a battle royal, but the Giants had vanquished the Red Sox, and had taken their first stride toward the championship of the world.