The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-21
SPEAKER IS OFF
1915 Champion Again Leading
American League Swatters.
New Man Is on the Throne in
the Tener Circuit.

Chicago, April 21.-Tris Speaker. Of
Cleveland, champion batter of 1916,
got away to a flying start in the race
for hitting honors in the American
league, his unofficial average for the
first six games Of the season being
.4O0-twenty-five points ahead of
Peckinpaugh, of New York. The aver
ages include games of Wednesday,
April Is.
Cobb, of Detroit, is seventh in the
list with an average of 1888; Deibold,
of Chicago, and Hoblitzel, of Boston,
lead in stolen bases with three each
Cobb has two. Barry, of Boston, tops
the list in sacrifice hits with four, and
in runs scored with eight. Sissler, of
st. Louis; Schalk, Chicago; Hoblitzel
and Walker, Boston; Jackson, Chicago,
and Bodie, Philadelphia, are tied for
Walker, Boston, leads in total bases
with seventeen.
Chicago is leading in club batting
with a percentage of .25S and in field
ing with .938.
The leading batters: Speaker.
York, .375; Bates, Philadelphia, $50;
Pipp, New York. 1853; McInnis, Phila-
delphia, .34s; Walker, Boston, .S46:
Cobb, Detroit, 1888; Guisto,, Cleveland,
1913; Hoblitzel, Boston. 1888; Judge,
Washington, 1913; Lewis, Boston, 500;
N,
cago, .31s; Strunk, Philadelphia. .S1S;
Sisler, st. Louis, .31S; Bodie, Phila-
delphia, .S04.
National League.
With the National league session lit
tie more than week old, batting
averages published today show that
the leaders of last season have not yet
struck their stride. Many OF the new
men in the league have gone to the
front. Fabrique, of Brooklyn, being
fourth among the players who have
played in at least four games up to
April 10.
Hank Gowdy of Boston leads the
batters with an average OF 6oo. Benng
Kauff, New York, is two points behind
Baird. Pittsburg, leads in runs
scored with six; Roush, Cincinnati.
leads in total bases with twenty. In
the home run department six players
are tied with one each. They are
Dugey, Cravath and Luderus, all of
Philadelphia; Robertson, New York;
Konetchy, Boston, and Hornsby, St.
Louis.
The stolen base record shows five
players tied with two each. They are
Baird, Pittsburg; Zeider. Chicago;
Long, st. Louis; Schultz. Pittsburg
and Carey, Pittsburg. Ward. Pitts
burg. leads in sacrifice hits with q.
Players who are hitting in the Sc
lect class are: GOWdy, BOsuOIl, oOV )
Kauff, New York, 55S; Roush, Cincin-
natl. 519; Fab'ique, Brooklyn, 500
Cravath, Philadelphia. 467; Doyle,
Chicago, 1852; Robertson, New York.
45O; Baird, Pittsburg. 376; Herzog'
New York. 36S; Zimmerman, Chicago,
36s; Ruether, Chicago, 1854; Paskert,
Philadelphia, $50; Whitfield. Philadel-
phia, 33S; Bancroft, Philadelphia.
333; Elliott, Chicago, 1893; Burns. New
York, 333; Konetchy, Boston, 312.
New York leads in club batting with
sos and in fielding with 979.
American Association.
BealI of Milwaukee in twelve trips
to the plate is leading the batters of
the American association with an av-
erage of 500. Dresser of st. Paul. and
Bankston of Toledo are tied for stolen
base honors with three each. Yerkes,
indianapolis. is out in front in sacri-
flee hits with four; Bealls Becker,
Kansas City. tops the list in home
runs with four in six games, and in
total bases with 81. Derrick. Indian
apolis, leads in runs scored with eight.
Kansas City with an average of 302
leads in club batting.