South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-08
RUTH'S BATTING
AVERAGE DROPS
Speaker Increases Lead in
American. and Hornsby
in National.

CBICAGO. Aug. THE three
leading batters in the American
League fattened up their averages
during the past week but Babe"
Ruth the home run champion who
is in fourth place. suffered a slump
before Dick Kerr In the last game
n tho series between Chicago and
New York He was at bat FIVE
times but connected for only one
mt. Iris Speaker, the Cleveland
manager who tops the batters gath
cred eleven hits IN seven games and
boosted his mark from 81 20 All,
which is fifteen points better than
that Of George Sisler. the 81. Louis
star. who is the runner-up with an
average Of 1902 Joe jackson. the
smuggling outhelder OF the Chicago
White Sox, is third with a mark OF
1913. while Ruth Is hitting 1871.
The averages are Of players who
have participated in fifty or more
contests and include games of We'd
nesday
Ruth continues TO be the sensa-
ton Of the league. This was evil
denced again in the series just play
ed i'm Chicago between the Yankees
and the White SuX. For the four
days a crowd officially estimated at
$4,000 came out 20 witness the
games with a hope OF seeing the
big southpaw slugger crack the ball
out Of the field. Only once during
the series was Ruth able 10 de
liver" on his specially. That was
OF the second day when he drove
the ball on a line into the right
deld bleachers for four bases
Claude Williams was pitching and
-
collected at his expense. This
smash marked Ruth's thirty eighth
home run. Against Faber the fol-
lowing day he was unable to hit
because the game was close and he
was ordered passed. In the open
ing game with Cicotte on the
mound Ruth was helpless.
Rice of Washington is far out in
front among the base stealers
showing the way with a total Of 43
thefts
other leading batters Rice
Washington. 500; r. Collins. Chi
cdgo. .364; Neusel. New York, .354;
Weaver. Chicago. BAL: Hendryx.
Boston. 337. Felsch. Chicago. .332;
Judge Washington. .332; Jameson.
.331; Milan. Washington, 326: Cobb
Detroit. 1922.
HOInsby Leads National
Roger Hornsby Of ST. Louis CON
tinues 10 head the national League
batters who have played in so or
more games The ST. Louis star
knocked out Is hits in his last six
games and boosted his average TO
$40. J. Smith. a teammate who
was the runner-up among the regu-
liHs last week went into a slump
and dropped 10 fifth place with an
avera ge of 1926, while Nicholson OF
Pittsburgh came along strong and
now is runner-up to Hornsby, with
an average Of 1876. ROush OF Gin
cinnat has pulled up into third
place with a mark of 1893 and
Young OF New York is holding
fourth place with 1927.
Hornsby is far in front in total
bases with 200. acquired on 143
hits. which include thirty doubles.
thirteen triples and seven circuit
drives.
Cy Williams Of Philadelphia bag
ged a brace of homers in the past
week and now tops the circuit drive
hitters with eleven. Robertson OF
Chicago is next with eight to his
credit
Max Carey of Pittsburgh is set
ting "A hot pace among the base
stealers. He is showing the way
with Sc thefts. while Roush of Gin
cinnat has % and Neale. another
member of the worlds champions.
has pilferred 90.
other leading batters: Williams.
Philadelphia, 323; Kon e [ c h V,
Brooklyn. 321: Myers, Brooklyn.
.22O. HOUocher. Chicago. .31S.
Stock. St Louis, .317; Daubert. Gin
Cinnati, .30S: Terry. Chicago. 305;
r Smith. New York .3O5; Flack,
Chicago. 800; Groh. Cincinnati,
.303; Merkle. Chicago. 1903.