Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-02
exdnder Asserts
'HOrnS5y Is Greatest
Batter of His Time
|ub Star Pays Tribute to
Hitter Who Stopped His
Win Streak.

eHICAGO. Juy. 2.-Grover Alexander,
- L. OF the greatest right-harded pitch
Baseball has ever had, is ever ready
give credit where credit is due and
Eefa4S Rogers Hornsby of the St Louis
Straiaals the plum for being the great
Sc batsman he has ever had to face.
F~oming from a twirler of Alexander's
ufsanny skin and intelligence, that is
And Alex is not alone in this belief.
manager Fred Mitchell, who has been
A7sociated with major leagues of and
of Tor the last twenty years. declares
when i comes to placing the willow
against the ball.
What Hornsby did to Alexander in
the. opening game of the series between
Fashioned the praise that the pitcher ana
manager. of the, Cubs handed out
TRIED HIS FULL
STOCK IN TRADE.
Had Alexander been able with his pug
cling assortment to stop the Cardinals
hitting demon he would have won his
twelfth game cOnsecutiyely, but he was
unable TO get the ball past Rogers, al
though he utilized everything in his
repertoire to achieve it.
2 HornSby was not fooled and hammered
cat Two vigorous triples. both Of which
went over Robertson's head in deep left
TO the fence, scoring Milton Stock each
time.
Hornsby has been more or less thorn
in Alexander's side, as he has dubbed
him rather freely every time they have
met.
Hornsby's hitting has puzzled Alex, foT
he said before the game that he hoped
10 win his twelfth victory If he could
ind a way TO pitch to Hornsby
That Alexander did not find the way
to twirl to the mighty slugger was
proved by the two three-base blows he
drove to the fence.
Hornsby has faced Alexander eleven
times this season for an average Of 40
which is q mark that few. If any, can
BOAST or against the great twirler. IN
acquiring that average Hornsby has
smashed out q home run, two triples
double aud = single.
'Hornsby is the greatest hitter have
eyer had to face" said Alexander after
his defeat
Il have tried to fool him every way
possible, but it just can not be done
Personally, I do not think a more
sdllful man ever stepped to the plate.
ALWAYS SET
EQR ANYTHING.
- IS set for everything you throw
hsE, and be times slow balls fast balls
and change OF pace in a way that makes
fellow scratch his head wondering
what to do.
sThey can talk about Babe Ruth in
the American league; he may hit farther
than Hornsby, but he won't get as
many IN the season and does not look
them over bit better at the plate
hitter and tnfelder the National league
has had since Hans Wagner was at his
best and some are inclined to believe
that Rogers has even a greater eye than
the great Honus had
Hornsby has an entirely differet style
at the plate and Is not constructed as
, powerfully as Wagner. but still he times
ball so perfectly that he is able to get
tremendous force behind his swings.
His hitting is not confined to one feld
He hits to them all, which makes him
a much feared batsman, because the
outfelders do not know where to play
for him.
: rHornsby's ability as a fielder is not
appreciated by a lot of people," said
Manager Mitchell He gets over more
ground than one imagines and plays the
ball nicely. With that he has a strong
arm and is quick on making double
plays.
HE is a second edition OF Larry
rLajoie and is great a ball player a.
is a little better hitter, which is saying
whole lot, for there were few better
than the Frenchman."
1t was tough for Alexander to lose that
6rst game to the Cardinals.
He had his heart set on breaking the
worlds record Of nineteen straight vic
torieSt and might have accomplished it
had he been able 10 subdue the slug
J ging Hor1sby.
Yet he had been doing a lot Of work
for Manager Mitchell and appeared to
: be 4 ut Sred when he stepped to the
RUBBER He did not seem TO be as fast
as he usually is, because he had pitched
IN four games in a little over q week.