The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-12
Barons Sweep Enenoy Before Them
Peckinpaugh and Crauath Are
 Sensations Of the 1919 Season
Cactus Proved That Man 40 Years Can Play Ball. If l Not Box-Yankee Keystoner, Always Weak l Hitter, Now Leads Junior League
By JAMES J. coRBErr

Nothing that the 1919 season has pro- duced is more remarkable than the great batting feats of Roger Peckinpaugh of the Yankees, and Cactus Cravath of tho PhiIlies.
 Here we have a normal .26O hitter top ping the entire American league and a veteran, supposedly a half dozen years beyond his prime, blazing the trail ir the national.
 It is hard to say which accomplish ment is more remarkable-but the opin- ion seems to hold Cravaths batting in greater honor than that of Peckinpaugh
 On the border line of 40, and slowed down to a whisper in pedalling speed, Cravath is banging the ball around .375- a notch in excess of Cobb, Sisler, Speak CT, Collins, Burns, Jackson, Young and all the other truly greats of the clouting world. Every hit that Cravath has made is a real blow. Not fluke is listed among all lis safeties
 If Cravath had the speed of Collins or Cobb instead of being perhaps the slowest runner in both circuits he would be banging for mark well beyond 800. For Cravath, with nimble legs, could beat out many infield taps that now go for outs.
 The amazing thing about Cravath IS that three seasons ago he was pro nounced "all in"-and he admitted II himself. He wanted to quit baseball and did quit. But the Phillies wouldn't let him stay in retirement. Old as ne was, and slow as he was, they needeo him. So they coaxed him back for 1917 And in 1918, when Cravath said that he would never play again-and meant it they lured him once more into the fold.
 "But I'll serve only as pinch hitter, said Cravath. I'm too old to play as regular. It requires too much effort
 That was the promise-but it never was kept And the reason was that in. the opening game of 1918 Cravath was sent into do pinch hitting. He responded with a game winning double. The next day he was jammed into the regular lineup and stayed there all year.
 When 1919 rolled around and all the youths came back from the army, Cra- vath insisted that he was through flor good this time" He figured the Phillies needed him no more. And for time they thought so, too. They reckoned they could get youngster to take his place. They tried a half dozen. AT failed.
 "Come back-just for another season. they implored Old Wooden Shoes
 And back came Cravath at close to 40 ito rise to the most sublime heights Of his long career in baseball.
 PICKS CASE
 Pecknpaugh's case is somewhat differ ent. For years he has ranked as one O. the greatest fielding shortstops in the game His huge hands make it possible for him to snare the hardest hit balls, His throwing arm is wonderful and with al Peckinpaugh is about as brainy a youth as ever broke into the big show. And game, too-to the core.
 ''If he could only hit, he'd rank as one of the greatest all-around shortstops O. all time' was the opinion.
 Peck used to hit the ball hard enough and often enough in the past-but he was unlucky with his drives Most of them used to plunk into the waiting hands of fielder As result. Pecks $ swatting mark never was anything to provoke loud cheers. His five year mark with the Yankees, from 1914 to 1918 in- elusive, was .223. .220, .255. .260 and .231.
 But this season fortune has smiled upon Peck and the drives that used to be outs in other years are falling safe Peck is banging at terrific clip and