Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-04
Cobb and Crauath
Lead Big Leagues
in Batting Averages

Chicago. Oct. 4.-Tyrus Raymond
Cobb still is the premier batter amons
the regulars OF the American League
according to complete but unofficia
averages made public today. The De-
troft outfielder during the past season
hung batting mark OF 1871 In ia
games, ono point less than his 1919
record and giving him the league
leadership for the eleventh time in the
last thirteen seasons. In addition, tht
Georgia Peach" was second in base
stealing second In number Of hits and
near the top in total bases. The only
years since 1907 that Cobb has not LED
the league In hitting are 1908, when
Criss. OF st. Louis, was supreme and
1916 when Speaker was champion.
In figures. Eddie Murphy. pinch hit
ter for the champion Chicago White
Sox. led with an average OF .i7b, bu'
he participated in only thirty-one
games and only a few times did he
play full game. Following close on
Cobb's heels was Harris. the Cleveland
Indian slugger. with a mark Of 1915
Harris made valiant effort during the
last week Of play to overcome his RI
vars lead and at one time was only
point behind. In the final game OF the
season, however. the Detroiter rallied
and swatted three hits in four at
tempts off White Sox pitchers, thus
clinching the leadership.
Veach, Cobb's teammate, came next
in the averages, hitting $50, while Sis
Ter, of st. Louis. and Flagstead, anoth-
er Detroiter. followed with records OF
.3i4 and 1888 respectively. Tobin 81.
Louis. .825; Ruth, Boston, 1924; Jacob
son, st. Louis, 321 were other leading
sluggers.
The record Of Babe" Ruth, the IA
nous Boston pitcher and outfielder,
was one OF the most remarkable ever
hung up in the American League. The
Red Sox player broke all records Tor
the greatest number Of home runs In
season by knocking out an even thirty
circuit drives, getting his last two In a
double-header Sept. "a against the
White Sox. In addition he showed the
way to the other long distance clouters
by obtaining a total of 2SS bases on his
drives and also led the run-getters,
scoring 1913 runs in 100 games, despite
the fact that he batted in the cleanup
position and not at the top, where the
leading scoring usually are found.
Eddie Collins. captain Of the White
Sox. stole more bases than any other
player. the opposing catchers failing to
get him in thirty-four of his efforts.
His record. however, is FAR under that
Of Sisler in 1918. the st. Louis first
sacker stealing forty-five times that
season. Sisler led in stealing this year
until the last two weeks Of the season
when an injury handicapped him. He
finished third with twenty eight thefts,
Cobb having a record of two more.
Cha pman. OF Cleveland, made the
most sacrifice hits, purposely advanc-
ing the runner fifty times. Witt, OF
Boston, and Collins, Of Chicago, were
next with forty-eight each. In two
baggers and three baggers veach De-
troit was highest with forty two-oase
blows and sixteen three baggers. Veach
also led in the greatest number Of hits
with 1872, two more than Cobb obtained.
In the club averages the Chicago
White Sox showed why they won the
pennant by making q club batting av-
erage of psf. five points better than
Detroit. which was second with .2s..
Cleveland was third with a mark OF
.27s. IN fielding Boston led With rec
ord Of .S74 and Chicago was second, its
players fielding for an average Of 1858.
Philadelphia, last in the league, was
last in hitting and fielding.
Eddie Cicotte, ace OF the White Sox
pitching staff, was the leading hurler.