The Washington herald., 1918-06-17
STARTS EARLY
ON HOME RUNS
Ruth Makes Eight Circuit
Clouts- May Establish a
New Season S Record.

New York, June 16.-George (Babe)
Ruth goes on his home run sprees
in the early months OF the campaign,
and il the Bostonian follows the
past performance sheet there is
slight chance of his making a new
record for feur-baggers. either for
his organization or for the National
League. OF the nine homers driven
out by Barrow's batting ace previous
to this year. only three came after
independence Day, one being made
in May and five in June. This year
up to last Tuesday, Ruth has made
seven hits for the grand tour-three
of them last month and four this
month. The three four-baggers un-
accounted for were made in July.
August and September, one in each
month.
Men who have been pitching to Ruth
this year say that he isn't a more
dangerous hitter now than he used
to be. one person who hasn't been
interviewed on the subject being Bill
James. of the Tigers.
Ruth has habit of picking on the
tall Detroit spitballer for record
drives. In st. Louis. on July q. 1915,
when James was a member of the
Browns. the Babe c'Honey" is an
other nickname of his) lit on the dry
spot of a spitball thrown by William
II. and lifted it high over the right
field wall. the sphere continuing its
journey until II struck the far side
walk on Grand avenue. Previously
there never had been such a hit made
at the home of the Browns, and since
then a colossal clout like 1t hasn't
shown up.
Another drive OF enormous proper
tions made of James by Ruth was
inserted into the controversy Of Au-
gust 10, 1917. at the Fenway. This
wallop went into the bleachers in
right. and nothing like it has been
seen since Cor had been seen before,
in the ball orchard now owned by H.
Harrison Frazee.
Playing his first game in the Ameri-
can League on July II. 1914, Ruth
broke into the base hit column for the
first time on October and then also
drove. out his first lonS hit-a double
gained on Carroll Brown, Of the
Yankees.
Jack Warhop-that Ruth got his first
i-dSu| lhDp carly Inc
next season. The Babe acquired the
smash on May 6. 1915. and before the
season ended he rad picked up three
more four-baggers, one Of these be-
ing the massive drive of Bill James
previously alluded TO. The others
were of Warhop. on June g. IN New
York, and OF Ray Caldwell four DAYS
later, in Boston.
The next season business was not
quite so brisk in homers for Ruth,
for he got only three, but the whole
three came in rapid succession. The
first was OFF Jean Dubuc. of the
Tigers. at Detroit. on June 8; the sec
ond of Jim Park. of the Browns. at
st. Louis. on June u. and the third
OF Bill Fincher. of the Browns, at st.
Louis, on June 13. One of the homers
in the Mound City was manufactured
by Ruth when he was pinching for
Harold Janvrin.
The Ruth home run output decreased
again in 1917. the Babe making one OF
Bill James, of Detroit, in Boston. on
August 10. and another OF Ed Mon
roe. of New York. at New York, on
September 10. The clout at Boston
was the longest ever made at the
home of the Red Sox.
This year, up to and including
Sunday, Ruth had made eight home
runs. one In Washington, two I'm New
York, three in Detroit. one in Cleve-
land. The four-baggers on eastern
fields came inside of four days MAY
to Z. inclusive): those on Western
greens inside of four days (June 2 to
5, inclusive).
When Ruth made three home
runs in succession dopesters claim
ed he had equalled a record and
when he made four in succession
this month they insisted he had set
record. Both times they were
wrong. Ray Caldwell. of the Yam
KEGS. and Socks Seybold. of the Ath-
letics. have knocked out three
homers in three successive games,
but Bill Bradley, OF the Indians
maps they were at the time)
knocked out four in four successive
games in Philadelphia in 1909.
OF Ruth's seventeen four-baggers,
five have been made in New York.
four in Detroit. four in st. Louis, two
in Boston. one in Cleveland and one
in Chicago. This Is a list OF them:
At New York-Of WARRIOR, Q;
Russell. Moeridge and Monroe.
At Detroit-Of James, Dauss,
Erickson and Dubuc.
At St Louis-Off James, Park,
Davenport and Fincher.
At Boston-Off Caldwell New
York; and James (Detroit.)
Ar Uashfr