Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-13
ANSoN AND LAJO|E.
Was The Bet
Batsman.
Better
Which
How They Differed in Methods Of Swattine
the Ball.

(which" asks the Chicago Journal.
twas the better batsman, Adrian c.
Arson or Napoleon Lajoie? Had An
son stayed in the game till today. with
all his ancient vigor. would he have
beaten Larry out in the seasons aver
ages? Had Lajoie been in the thick of
the game twenty years ago, would he
have displaced uncle as the king Of
hitterS?"
Men who saw Arson crack them out
in the haZy past will argue all night
that uncle was the better hitter and
that Lajoie never had the eye or bat
ting swing which made the old man
the have-been of all the pitchers. Men
who have been watching Napoleon
soak the leather since he came to the
front will aver that the F'renchman is
faster, more graceful. and even more
effective than Arson ever dared to be.
This. of course. applies specially to
fans i'm other cities than Chicago. Here
at COmiskey's park Lajoie has never
ShOne. Chicago is NapOleon'S hOOdOo
town. and there are .115 point batterS
in the American League who can hit
harder at Comiskey's park than the
mighty Clevelander. ChicagOanS.
therefore, still remembering Arson and
seeing Larry tlZZle. still swear that
uncle was the greater. but in Cleve-
land. Philadelphia, and Boston they
think the Frenchman Incompatible.
Arson is somewhat larger than
Laioic. although the Frenchman is of
great size and massive strength. La
ioie is merely Il large man, Arson is a
giant. There was never anything
graceful about the bulk and gait Of
Arson, but his very appearance was
calculated to strike terror into the
heart of any pitcher. When Arson
advanced to bat he came up with his
red face set into a frown that made it
| resemble seven cents worth of dog
meat. He beat his bat with dire
ferOcity against the plate and then
hitched up his sleeves. Never, even
in the hottest seasons. did Arson cut
off his sleeves or even shorten the uni
form to wear thinner shirt beneath.
He hitched up those sleeves three or
four times, and then let the first ball
go by. no matter how close or tempt
ing. Then he let another go. and
usually roared prodigiously at the UNI
pire if it was called Il strike. Then he
hit.
Uncle's drives as n rule sailed just
a little above the infield. too high to
be reached. sinking too low for the
outfield to get in on top of them. When
he lifted ball. it was at a sharp.
rising angle. When he hit n grounder
it ripped up the sod and made life a
danger for the shortstop or third base
man. If the ball was safely handled
in tire infieid uncle was dead man.
for he couldn't do much toward beat
ing out a short grounder. Once in
great while uncle calmly hunted and
got away with it. because the third
basenan would be so astonished that
he couldn't do anything. Thus did
uncle swat. and great was the crash
when he swatted.
Lajoie comes to the plate with less
of the look out for the elephant in
his gait and motion. He bends farth-
er forward than Arson was wont to do.
and his sleeves are so much shorter
that he does no physical culture
stunts in hitching them. Neither is
he addicted to pounding on the plate.
He hits anything that seems good
without waiting. When he hits. the
ball usually goes higher and more on
a curve than those Arson hit. The
infield does not get near those Larry
hits. but the outfield can frequently
take them on brisk run. When he
hits them on the ground they go with
about the force of those uncle biffed.
but Larry has uncle buffaloed on beat
ing them out if the fielders handle
them. The big Frenchman can run
some and goes to first far faster than
the Old Man used to do.
Where uncle had the bulge on Larry
was right here: he was safer man
IN an awful pinch than Larry. Posi-
biy the Frenchman may be better in
other cities than in Chicago. but here
we are accustomed to seeing Napo-
leon come up in the ninth with the
bases packed and send out long fly
whlch the fielders easily capture. In
fact. there is very little disquietude or
terror in the South Side stands as
Larry dawns. If it is the last inning, |
everybody goes right ahead busting
ms clothes and preparing to go home.
Just rs though La ioie were Case Pat |
ten or Fred Abbott. But in the old
DAYS when uncle came to bat and
.here We're men on bases. there was
nuZzing in the stand. Everybody set
.,ed pack In his seat: every heart
bumped with excitement and eager
expectation. and when the crash came
oi pat and ball there was shrek OF
whu frenzy as the leather sped bullet
IKE across the lea.
Napoleon Lajoie could make more
nus with his team ahead. or with the
pases empty, and could beat out more
sronnders than the Old Man. Put
with the bases packed and the team
behind. your Uncle Arson shone like