The sun., 1919-04-06
SISLER Is BETTER
PLAYER THAN RUTH
So Declares Branch Hickey in
Discussing Ability Of Fa-
nous First Baseman.
Is A HIGH CLASS PITCHER
Says st. Louis ssPhenom" Is a
Better Fielder and Base Run
ner Than Babe.

In an epoch Of totterihS thrones. Babe
Ruth. all around monarch Of the dia-
mond. would better be looking aftsr the
props of his empire For-we have the
word Of President Branch Hickey of the
Cardinals for this--in St Louis there
IL one player who can dspose the Bos-
ton marvel and himself assume the
title of most versatile player IN the
game" with Just q little encouragement
This player. Hickey ayers, can outhit.
outpitch, outrun and outthink Ruth; he
| can I'LL more positions than Babe and
play any or all Of them better. He has
moro asgressivensss, more daring, moro
| everything. in short. save oalary and
reputation. This player IL not q member
| Of Rickey's squad. just to prove that his
opinion IL not mere clever press agentry.
The only reason this player has not
| utterly collapsed Ruth in fame. popu-
| lsrity and salary Is that he IN n victim
| Of poor exploitation and too great per-
| sonal modesty.
Sisler-yes. that's tho fellow Hickey
has, In mind. sisler. a soft spoken
| fighter. velvet paved tiger whom
reused, q player whose powers Of con-
centration. according to Hickey. enable
him to fill not aoceptably but in q mas
tsrly style any position assigned to him.
In an interview Hickey explained his
| optimism regarding Sisters future
Hickey has the right to discuss Sisler
\ because he discovered him a. @ college
star at Michigan University. Jccksyed
him out OF the possession Of Barney
Dreyfuss into the hands Of the st. louis
Browns and then gave him his first
big league instruction.
Ruth Properly Advertised.
! Babe Ruth fills the public eye"
hickey said, because not only is he q
| great pitcher and hitter, but because
the fullest use has been made of him to
advertise his strength in these two de-
partments. Babe can pitch in world 6
| championship form and clout a home
run over the fence he can clean the
bases In pinch; and can bring his
heavy artillery into daily play. by hand
ling a FIRST base or outfield position ac-
ceptabiy.
"In this respect he. however, docs not
compare with Sis!er. Sisler is as great
or a greater pitcher than Ruth. know
this. He showed ME his quality IN the
games in which I employed hin-look
back at his record II you don't believe
| this. As a batter and all around player
l leave to the records to set forth his
ability as compared with that of Babe.
He batted 1897 last year to Ruth's
I2s7; he led the league in stealing bases
| with forty in an abbreviated season. dis
| tancing Cobb and the other stars: ne
was the fourth first baseman In field
| ing percentage: as an outhelder he
showed wonderful promise; his great
ground covering ability. fine throwing
arm and daring would make him star
at any position where Ruth would be
merely a defensive fllleTin, tolerated be-
| cause OF his hitting. Save for the pitch
ing. his superiority TO Ruth can't be dis
puted, and / mysef am certain that he
Is Babes pitching master.
sisIer Needs Press Agent.
why is It that Ruth Is so much
more prominent than Sisler7 The an
swer is that Sisler has not been exploit
ed to 90 per cent OF his publicity value
and not TO moro than 20 per cent of his
playing efficiency, while Ruth has beer
used on every possible occasion.
"The Browns immediate need OF G
first baseman compelled Us to use Sis
Ter there. He made 80 good that his
other virtues were forgotten. The man
agement OF the Browns has seen NJ to bt
satisfied with top notch performance
at first base and q wonderful hitting
and running ability.
, ITO me this is a lamentable mistake
Sisler could pitch In turn and pitch th'
best left hand ball in the league. Will
the same team back of him he would
win as often or more often than Ruth
On other days he could return to frs
base or the outfield and do better thar
, Ruth. all that that player now does Il
evoke the wonder and plaudits of TIL
mob.
"Sisler to me stands for an oppor
tunity going to waste-opportunity botl
for the club and for the player TIL,
club is losing a chance to increase Ia
receipts by uplifting another bleache
favorite--a player whose versatility an,
, ability transcends that even of the Fly
ing Dutchman,' Hans Wagner. in hi
palmiest day"