Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-22

The right field bleachers at the Bos-
ton grounds are SO far from the home
plate that you almost need a field glass
to get familiar with what is going on.
Standing at the home plate with bat
in hand, it seems almost impossible to
hit the ball into said bleachers. I feel
reasonably safe in venturing the opin-
ion that the bleachers are 100 feet
farther than the required distance
from the plate. 235 feet.
Suppose you were one of the great
est sluggers in the game, suppose you
had a chance to hang up a record for
home runs, and suppose you hit ball
far up into said bleachers and got
credit for only a three-base hit. How
would you feel about it? Suppose
failure to be credited with home run
on such an occasion kept you from
making a new record Undoubtedly
such a break would make you say I'M
kind things about the rule makers.
Ruth on Home-Run Rampage.
During the first ten weeks of the
American League season, Babe Ruth.
demon slugge- Of the Boston Red
Sox, made eleven home runs. With
July, August, September and October
to work on, critics freely predicted
Ruth was in line to make new
major league record for circuit swats.
During the first week in July, the
Cleveland club came to Boston for an
important series of five games. AT
that time about game margin sepa-
rated the two clubs, Cleveland enjoy
ing the advantage In that series
Ruth. with his remarkable hitting
and pitching, made it possible for
Boston to take four out of five games,
nut the Red Sox out in front, an edge
which the club held to the finish:
It was the second game Of the
series, I believe, that went twelve
innings, before Boston scored the
on1v run Of the game. Sam Jones and
stanley Coveleskie were the pitchers
Each was at his best, and for eleven
innings neither team was able to
score. Once Boston threatened, era
new throwing out Scott at the plate
on a close decision. In the twelfth
reached first base. The dangerous
Ruth was the next hitter. After foul
ing couple, Ruth got one to his
liking. and hit it far into the right
field bleachers, one OF the longest
drives I have ever seen.
- there ever was a real, genuine,
sure-enough homo run. that waHop
was the last word. 1t was the long
cot drfye Ruth made for the season,
vat in the records he is credited with
only a three-base hit
When Strunk Touched Plate.
Since Amos strunk was on first
hsse. when Ruth came through with
b;a timely hit. the game was omcially
n.sr men Strunk touched the home
0Iot. II being the last half Of an ex-
ia inning game. and since only one
r,n was needed to win. action ceased
Vhen Strunk came through with the
tally. ..,..+ - hi.
(home-run batting spree. Boston fans
were rather put out that such a won
derful hit would not be credited as
nome run in the averages After the
rame at least a dozen people dropped
into my dressing room to discuss the
nIay. A query that most OF them put
was. would 1t have been possible by
any strategy to have had Ruth given
credit for 4 homer
Under strict Interpretation Of the
rule which governs the action OF the
| coacher at third base. in relation tc
| the base runner, it would have beer
nossible to eliminate Strunk and
| thereby give Ruth credit for q home
| run. Heinie Wagner. who was coach.
| ing at third base. could have created
| considerable argument had he grab:
bed Strunk as he was running thirt
1 base on his way to the plate. Th<
rule says such action by the coachel
automatically retires tho base runner
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