New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-22
Baseball Star Still Has
High Average i'll
interviewing.
PLAYER ADMITS AN
INCREASE IN WEIGHT
Slugqer Sure He VIII Have No
Difficulty in Getting Back
10 Best Form.
RN LEE ARMS.

Colonel Jacob Rupert yesterday sue
oceded in proving 20 81 unprcjudiccd
mind that John Franklin Baker is heart
and soul VIC might even say dollars
and cents with the New York Yankees.
There was vthal democratic SIM
pliclty 60 The proof Tho colonel had
caused 10 60 be sand chat if the baseball
writers would assemble az his Office at .
O'Clock they would see and hear some
thing 20 their advantage.
Curiosity won. Who would not 80
anywhere, even as carly as , o'clock, to
hear something 20 his advantage? The
colonel was blending psychology with
business. The litcrati simply Uttered
Up the entire Office.
Like al high class and exclusive en-
tertainmcnt, the curtain was a trile
late. u was 2:20 o'clock when the
colonel threw open the door Of his pri-
waite Office.
There. boys. sits Frank Baker. Talk
90 him" he said.
And there, 10 be sure. did SIT Mr..
Baker
To tho normal cyo the only apprc-
ciablo difference I'm the looks Of Mr..
Baker ON the diamond and IN an office
H. that he does not wear his baseball
suit I'M private life. The general con-
tour or his face and the general con-
tour Of his bulCing calves arc precisely
the same as when he Is making "A home
run of Rubo NarQuard iu a worlds
series. or. II not. the variation Is so
slight a. 20 be hardly worthy Of notice.
Mr.. Baker further disclosed the fact
that be has long. black and almost curly
hair-a secret which hitherto had been
we'll guarded by the railway engineer
caps that are affected by the pupils Of
Mr. Cornelius McGillicuddy during the
pay months. Il was too bad, There was
really no need of MIR. Bakers taking his
hat OF. No ono else did.
Mr.. Baker interview very cast ~, con-
sidering that he has been out of prac-
tice for the last seventeen months. lie
Eat there as calmly as an orc freighter
on Lake Superior and answered the bat
terry OF highly technical questions which
were fred at him and which delved
deeply into the science of baseball.
Such relevant queries as, was he glad
10 get back, and did his farm 90 well
this season. were answered truthfulls
and sith no little oclat, as 10 we're. He
eripped some sort Of a journal in his
hand. Il may have been the latest copy
OF the Delaware County League batting
averages.
As We recall the matter, the only
question Of any importance that was
shot at Mr. Baker was that having TO DO
with what he had hit IN the Delaware
League last season.
~ int .319 in some thlrty-odd
rlmos." he said, "and the pitching was
not at all bad
There we have it, For the first time
we learn. with some degree OF au-
ihority. what j. Franklin Baker hit m
tia. over-adyertised Delaware League.
In to now We had been Of the opinion
thar when the statisticians of the Della
ware County League got together at
the end of last season they began bat
ting each other around the room with
socmcnts Of long division. j. seems
that while lodging the decimal points
and tripping ono another with the un-
known quantity y the statisticians
went fooie iu the ilbert. 80 far as j.
Franklin Bakers batting average was
concerned. and we have heard from
.l20 to $50 a. being the veraclous and
sworn circulation Of his base hits last
season.
But 80 was $40. J. Franklin spoke Of
The $40 in am ofhaud manner He did
rot seem 20 be imbucd with any great
pride over that .379; neither did he
seem TO be ashamed of It, Tie just
mentioned 1t as though he had said
he had had eggs and toast for break
fast. ID was dlscOncertng.
IL occurred to some one that II
might be pertinent 20 20 back 20 the
mid-Nictorian era Of American League