Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-29
YESTERDAYS ATTENDANCE.
GEORGE STONE
AMERICANS BEST BATTER

When Ed Delehanty and Napoleon Lajoie
were breaking fences with their terrific
swats in the American League only few
seasons ago there was nobody to dispute
their supremacy in a batting way, though
there were quite a few heavy hitters like
Willie Keller and Jesse Burkett to keep
Del and Larry" hustling to lead the
league. So much has been made of Lajoies
ability to get base hit when he really tries
that many believe that it was simply impos-
sible for him to avoid base hits. Nobody
ever dreamed that the great Frenchman In
his prime could be topped by any of the
young batters breaking into the league, but
1t seems that Lajoie has lost the Amer
lean League Individual batting champion
Ship to George Stone Of the ST. Louis
Browns. The worries of managing q club Is
the excuse offered by Lajoies admirers for
his slump at time when fat averages are
more common than they were last season.
Perhaps that is true. Managing ball
team has interfered with the individual
work of any star that ever undertook the
task. Ed Delehanty has gone. but his bat
ting feats will never be forgotten. Del had
style that made him q favorite with the
bleacherites. who like to see batsman bin
the ball with big stick. Even after Del
got so heavy that he could hardly run bases
he still continued to hit all the good pitch
ers. The newcomer (Stone) Is not Of the
Delehanty nor yet of the Lajoe stripe. He
1.-THE, square shouldered stocky fellow who
keeps pecking away and getting his singles,
with occasionally an extra base drive La
joe stands at the plate most graceful and
careless figure He apparently doesn't care
whether he hits the ball or not. Stone as
sumes a crouching position and appears
very anxious He strikes out very often.
Keller and Lajoie seldom fan. Stone is
left-handed hitter. He makes no prelimi-
nary swings and does not beat a tattoo on
the plate while waiting for the pitcher to
deliver.
Stone walks briskly to the plate, swings
his bat up over his left shoulder and holds
it there beside his left ear. He shoves his
right leg forward and plants it firmly,
bearing his weight with his left leg. AS
Stunning crouch, he faces the pitcher and
remains motionless. Stones judgment Is
good, and he is so quick that he waits until
the ball is close before he makes his lunge.
When he meets the ball he hits it hard-and
on line. Most of his safeties are sharp
line drives. His ability to wait until the
ball is upon him before offering at 1t Is
in a great measure responsible for his
success. Burkett could tell whether to
swing to let the ball go by without max
ing pass at 1t in the days when he was
good hitter. Keller has the same rare
Judgment. but is handicapped to some ex
but he has a pair of Bob Fitzsimmons
shoulders, in which there is great driving
power.
Hans Wagner, who has been thar or
tharabouts for several seasons, is the one
best bet in the National League The burly
Dutchman has dangerous rival except
Harry Lumley. Mike Donlin has been slid
ing back every time he goes to bat in q
pinch. At present Mike is leading, but his
record for twenty-six games hardly entities
him to a crown Cy Seymour was the
champion batsman last year Cy has done
we'll since he became a Giant, but got a
poor start at Cincinnati, 80 he is not even
in the 800 class at this writing. Wagner is
a batter of no frills, but he gets the base
hits. He has long, strong arms. a power
full chest and a magnificent pair of shoul-
ders He is wonderful ball player. but
is not valuable other great batters
for the reason that he is not at his best
In a pinch. He often strikes out raises
fly when striving for pinch hit