Evening star., 1920-01-18
Nv BILLY EVANS.

Ruth was up. The spectators looked
for the big fellow to give them a thrill.
and, believe me, he gave them many
a one last summer.
There is no denying the fact that
base ball enthusiasts like batters who
can hit 'em a mile Ability to do that
made Babe Ruth the most-talkedabo
man in base ball last year. From the
middle of the season to the close fans
the country over were wondering
whether or not he would be able to
break the major league record for home
runs.
In my fifteen years connection with
the American League it seems Ruth
has made more record-breaking hits
than all the other mighty sluggers put
together. / always got a certain sense
of satisfaction in seeing Ruth hit the
ball. and then following with the eye
the course of the sphere, which, in
many instances, seemed to traevel i'm
possible distances.
Succeeded in Ambition.
In 1919 Ruth succeeded in doing
able to accomplish, the breaking of
the major league record. He first bea t
the record of twenty-five, held by
Buck Freeman. After he had passed
that mark and had twenty-six to his
credit some of the statisticians
crossed Babe and discovered new
record of twenty seven home runs
made something like thirty-five years
ago.
Such happening would have dis
couraged most hitters. but not Ruth.
He simply remarked: We'll, I'll
have to go out and whale couple
more over the fence" And in a short
time he added three more home runs
to his credit
1t really is too bad that the major
league season of 1919 didn't consist
of the usual schedule of 154 games.
II Ruth had played fourteen more
games l feel he would have surely
passed the thirty mark in the matter
Of home runs. Had he done so he
would have set record at which the
leading hitters would have been
shooting a long time
Had the Boston players known that
Ruth was to eclipse the major league
record. his total would have been in
creased three OF four home runs at
least. even though such course
would have involved the playing of
What is regarded as bad base ball.
Several times last summer 1 saw Ruth
ieao on with terrific wallop that
stayed inside the park, but managed
70 net him three bases. DESPITE the
fact that Ruth hasn't the speed of
Cobb.
Could Have Stretched EN-.
There isn't the slightest doubt in
my mind but that Ruth would have
oeen able to stretch each one of those
triples into home run had the
coacher dared to play the game CON
trary to precedent. In base ball. with
no one out. and the first man hits for
three bases. it is always considered
wise policy to hold the runner at
tnlrd unless It IS absolutely certain
he can score.
1t is figured that It is generally
possible to have such runner score
on the effort of some of the battors
who follow. In one game it so turn
ed out that Ruth could have scored
walking. because of the faulty han
ding of the relay. However, the
score was tied at ihe time, Boston
lead, and the coacher was forced to
play it safe.
OF course, now that the season is
over and Ruth has established a rec
ord, 1t is an easy matter to point out
how the total could have been con-
siderably swelled. Had Ruth ma J..
only twenty-seven home runs last
year I don't believe he would have
ever forgiven himself for his failure
to run out a long fly at Boston which
it seemed almost certain the fielder
would catch. in this game against
Philadelphia Ruth hit one of the
longest and highest fly balls that you
could possibly imagine.
The fielders were playing back
against the fence. Whitley Witt was
playing center field for Philadelphia.
He didn't have to move out of his
tracks. Babe was rather disgusted
that such long hit should seemingly
be wasted and merely logged along
the paths Witt never even got his
hands on the ball. 1t fell safely to
the ground, several feet from him,
with Ruth between second and third
Babe managed to get a. triple out of
it, but he could have easily scored
a home run had he run the ball out.
Just another instance of the truth
that one should take nothing for
granted in base ball, and, above all
things, run out every hit to the limit.
,Yanks Went on Rampage.
New York fans who like the home
run clouts, sure had their fill Of cir
cult wallops in game played at the
ficiating in that game with Bill Din
neen. and after the contest both of
US agreed that the performance came
close to being record. In a nine
inning game the New York club made
five home runs> and. rather strange
ly, they all came in the first six in
ningS of play.
On looking up the records on home
runs, we discovered that the making
of five home runs in one game by
one team merely tied record made
May 80. 1894. In that game nine
home runs were made, four by the
Cincinnati, club and five by Boston.
1t must be remembered that the Bos-
ton club in those days played in a
very small park, and a lot of fly balls
, that went for home runs in those
, days would be the easiest kind of
outs in the modern parks Of today.
Duffy Lewis started the home run
business in the very first inning, hit
ting the ball into the left field bleach
ers. 1t would have been a home run
in almost any park in the world.
Frank Baker starter the second in
ming. with terrific drive into the
extreme corner of the upper tier OF
the right field stand. 1t was one of
the longest drives Baker ever made.
farmer has made many a home run
clout.
Truck Hanna, who hits them hard
kept up the fusillade in the third. by
hitting into the left field bleachers
Roger Peckinpaugh, then leading the
American League in hitting, sent a
line drive into left field bleachers
in the fourth It was a terrific hit that
kept climbing as it travelled. and there
is no telling how far it would have
gone had it not been for the bleacher
obstruction.
Peck Does 1t Again.
In the sixth inning Peckinpaugh hit
another line drive into the bleachers,