New-York tribune., 1920-01-06

He has averaged more than twenty
victories q season as pitcher and
always he had not the best of teams
behind him IN Boston
Ruth is fine out6elder to-day,
though he played the outfield only one
season. There are few better first
basemen. Ed. Barrow declares If
played regularly at the position Ruth
would soon prove as great as Hal Chase
in his prime.
An Ail-Around Player
II was his love of the game-and
especially the desire to appear against
rival pitching every day-that made
Ruth the great drawing card he became
last season. Manager Ed. Barrow. of
the Red Sox, wished to conserve Ruth
for pitching duty and pinch hitting.
The Red Sox staff was badly used up
N result Of the failure Of Joe Bush
and Sammy Jones to live up to their
championship form Of 1913. But Ruth
couldn't see things that way. He want
ed to be In the lineup every 'ay and
used every known subterfuge to gain
his end. working the sore arm gag"
until the middle of summer. Even at
that Ruth pitched seventeen games for
the Hub team in 1919, and turned in
some wonderful exhibitions despite his
comparative lack of pitching practise.
If Higgins can prevail upon Ruth
TO double in brass" and take his reg
ular turn in the box when he is not
busy in the outfeld the New York
Yankees will open the next champion
ship season with the greatest pitch
ing staff seen in major league baseball
in the last decade. He will have three
of the very ablest southpaws in the
American League - Ruth Herb Thor
mahlen and George Mogridge. And
scuthpaw pitching is a wonderful as
set in league whose great sluggers
run to left-handed hitters.
In Bob Shawkey, Jack Quinn and
Carl Mays. Higgins has an equal
number of dependable righthanders.
And this is not taking into account
veteran OF the tried ability Of Ernie
Shore. incapacitated early in 1919 by
a bad case of mumps, and host of
fine young pitching material.
All Pitchers Look Alike
glance at Ruths home-run record
(, deveisps the fact that his is a peculiar
s5ugg,ng style for left-handed hitter.
He is quite as deadly with his mace
against the southpaws as he is against
righthanders. For the last two years
Ruth has hit more extra base knocks
than singles. His greatest siugglng,
Of course. was achieved during the con-
-racted season fl40 games) of the last
year. when he drove out no less than
twenty circuit su,ashes. He really
should have had thirtyone to his
credit. Technicality robbed him Of two
homers Twice he nit the ball out OF
the park when the wining run hap
pened to De on the bases.
In ten games played at the Polo
Grounds last season Ruth knocked out
four home runs. Playing the longer
schedule. or seventyseven games at
home, at such a clip as that Ruth
would better his present record in the
home games alone. The short right
field fence at the Polo Grounds is
bound to attract a great deal Of study
on his part for his easiest flies would
drop safely behind that particular bar
rier.
Bob Snawkey, who has grown
n,ustache that would put to shame the
best hirsute efforts of John Titus,
happened to be in the Yankee Offices
at the time Colonel Rupert announced
the acquisition of Ruth The pitcher
vas jubilant.
Gee, I'm glad that guys not going
70 nit against me any more" chuckled
Bob. You take your life in your
bands every time you step up against
rim You just throw up anything
that happens 70 come into your head,
With q prayer, and duck for your life
with the pitch"