The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-01


In view OF the attempt of Babe Ruth
20 eeiinse the major league hofne-run
record and the lack of authentic data
~ to past performances IL becomes OF
interest u examine into the reasons
for.~the absence from official record
looks OF the extra base hit feats of the
hafsrnen of the early DAYS ~ organized
baseball
:. In Ruth's efforts TO achieve dIstinc-
tion az a circuit hitter he frst shot at
TIE mark Of sixteen set by Socks Sey-
hold sef the Athletics In 1902 THIS was
the American league record z Having
tassed that mark Ruth then SET sail
fer .he major league mark of twenty
Eve, credited TO John Freeman. Of
Washington. in 1889 In the midst Of
re campaign he was appraised that Ed
Williamson. of the Chicagos. had collect
ed twentv-seven home runs in the sea-
son Of 1883 On It's face this record
seemed questionable. as Williamson
MAS by no means iong-distance bat .
ter Ruth Is inclined TO ignore the
Williamson claim ard proceed after the
freeman figures.
The only way In which the figures
ran be suhstantiated is through a
search Of the official scores that pos
shlv may be stored in National league
headquarters and TO unearth which
would he hercnlean task
Extra Basc Hits Ignored.
Although the National league was
organized in 1876 IL was not till the
season of 1sh5 that the Baseball Guide
contained the official records OF extra
hase hits. Therefore the sixteen home
rims credited TO Seyboid the twenty
fee awarded to Freeman and the TWEEN
ty-4even claimed for Williamson are
ne. ,ou ehed for by official scores
The first home run figures TO appear
In shc official Baseball Guide pertained
to the season Of 1911, in which Frank
Sc Nulte Of Chicago. made twenty-one
eirleu.t c'outs. I.uderns. Of phiiadei-
p,.iag made sixteen in the same season
and Sherwood Maeee. Of the Cmakers,
dr9se ont hfteen four haggers
Ire reason for the non appearance
es-extra base hit figures in the early
CORES OF the Guide was due TO the
arttpathv to smuggling batsmen on the
rat az Henry Chadwick who vas tie
:. t3sr snf the. Guide from, the in,ep-
4 ~ Ire. National league GnS5f &hfs
death several years ago.
Erowned on sIuKger~.
Mr. Chadwick In his youth was a
rieke. player and he favored the
asopyfan by ball players Of ths place
.itttng tactics of the cricketers. Chad
asck waged a constant war on fnnEo
,i,ting by baseball players ard wrote
soluninousiy on the value of sacri~
see and Mace hitting Ratsmen oF the
s4y,e Of Billy Keeler were Chadwick s
delight, hut he frowned on the mighty
sinrTerS like Arson, Brouthers. Dele
,a,,tY and others of the heavy hitting
.'ans
A PLAYER who advanced runner by
neat sacrifice was sure OF hearty
-ommendation from the father OF base
halI, but he never failed to censure a
~.an who tried to xiii the ball So
.een was his hostility to the heavy
siuEyers that Mr. Chadwick declined
4, nut In the Guide the extra bases
ssoyed BY the hard thumpers. although
Mex Young. the league secretary. kept
an accurate record of the doubles
ripies and homers.
ff4swas not until 1905. when there
sasa general demandsfor the figures
rat. Chadwick nnally had the extra
3ase hits printed in the Guide,
II. is probable in order ITO keep the
..cora clear and insure reliability that
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