Mayer, Sam

Samuel Frankel Mayer

Erskine Mayer's brother, Sam played in 11 games for the Washington Senators in 1915. A right-handed batter who threw southpaw, he not only played first base and the outfield, he also pitched once, without a decision. Sam played 18 years in the minors.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. February 28, 1893 - d. July 1, 1962

Career Highlights:
Born to a German Jewish father and an English mother who converted upon marrying his father, Mayer was born in Atlanta. His father was a pianist who loved baseball and instilled this love in both Sam and his older brother, Erskine Mayer. Sam attended the Georgia Military Academy and Georgia Tech before beginning his baseball career in 1911. He spent four years in the minors and played in the Northeast Arkansas League, the Kitty League, the Sally League, the American Association, and the Western League.
In 1915, Mayer signed with the Washington Senators, spurning an offer from the Chicago Cubs. That season, he appeared in 11 games and did not make an error while hitting a home run, scoring five runs and registering four RBI in only 29 at-bats. In his only pitching appearance, he walked two batters, but gave up neither a hit nor a run.
After the season, Mayer was sent back to the minors and played the next six seasons with the Atlanta Crackers. The captain of the team, he also became part-owner in 1918, and was the club's business manager. In 1919, the Crackers won the Southern Association pennant.

Career Dates:
Mayer played for the Washington Senators in 1915.

Position:
Outfield. Also played first base for one game and pitched in another.

Physical description:
5'10", 164 pounds
Throws left, bats right

Career Statistics:
Games: 11
Batting Avg.: .241
Slugging Avg.: .345

At-bats: 29
Hits: 7
Doubles: 0
Triples: 0

Home Runs: 1
Home Run %: 3.4
Runs: 5
RBI: 4

BB: 4
Strike Outs: 2
Stolen Bases: 1

Pinch Hitting
At-bats: 0
Hits: 0

Fielding Statistics
Put-outs: 14
Assists: 1
Errors: 0
Double-plays: 1

Total Chances per Game: 1.3
Fielding Avg: 1.000

Use links below to navigate through the baseball section of Jews In Sports.

< Previous | Next >

References:
encyclopedia of JEWS in sports, by Bernard Postal, Jesse Silver, and Roy Silver (New York: Bloch Publishing Co., 1965)
The Big Book of Jewish Baseball: An Illustrated Encyclopedia and Anecdotal History, by Peter S. Horvitz and Joachim Horvitz (New York: S.P.I. Books, 2001)
The Baseball Encyclopedia: Tenth Edition (New York: McMillan, 1996)