New-York tribune., 1920-05-27
Mogridge Bags
First Victory
Of Season, Al
Babe Hits First Ball Pitched
Into Upper Stand; Ward
Is Ill With Tonsilitis
BY w. 0. Mcclellan


in the sixth inning at the Polo
Grounds yesterday a human foghorn
megaphoned through his hands, 'Geta
home rum" The Babe shook his head
II got a home rum" he said.
And he had On his first time up. in
the second inning, the Babe drove the
oaIly tour-sacker into the upper right
tield stands. He hit the first bali
pitched to him by DauSs. This blow
evidently was intended to show that
the Babe is not picking on left-hand-
ers. The port siders have been COM
plaiNing bitterly about Ruth for past
'nG them, putting forth the fact that
Ruth himsef should know how it
feels TO be . lett-narded pitcher.
This was the eighth home run for
the Babe for the current season. and
it makes only twenty one to go in or
der to tie the home run record of last
year. 1t is noticeable that the Babe is
no longer hitting them completely out
of the lot. He is placing them in the
upper right-tield stands, where they
car be recovered, and so decrease the
expenditures which Colonels RUPERT
and Huston have to make for imple-
ments used in the national pastime.
George Breaks Jinx
Encouraged b. this opening smash of
the Babes, George Mogridge went in
and orokc the jinN tnat has been hov-
ofing over him by winning his first
game Of the season, 4 to /. 1t was
getaway day for the Yanks, and they
are leaving lot of encouraged rooters
behind them, for they have taken eight
out of twelve games from Western
clubs on the home lot.
There is just one insect in the oint-
ment. Aaron Ward. the star third
haseman, went into the hospital squad
yesterday. Aaron is laid up with an
attack Of tonsilitis. The medicos say
that it is not serious, but that it will
keep him out for a few days. Meusel
Will hang around the corner until
Ward returns. Meusel utilized his
altitude yesterday to leap up and spear
line drive that might have gone for
q double, and played a much improved
game all around.
The customers at yesterdays per-
formance were estimated to number
something like $4,000, which is about
as much trade as the Yanks used to
draw in a week three years ago.
Not only did the Babe make the dai,v
home run, but he carved out a single
that crashed against the right neld
fence on the first bound. Also, he did
'oA'iS AdPiu llS!GlIS III tOe IOuCJh nm
ing he dashed in behind second base
a Ia Speaker and caught what looked
like a Texas Lacquer by Young. He
robbed Neach of d hit in the ninth by
leaning against the right field fence
and spearing a long drive. Altogether
he showed promise of figuring more or
less prominently in the Yankee games
when he RECEIVERS his health and ac-
ticvity.
The Yanks annexed a second run in
the second inning. Jones made wild
throw Of a poke by Peckinpaugh Then
PipD bounced double over Henry
Heilman's lofty dome after Meusel had
been thrown out, and Peckinpaugh came
home.
Flagstead Drives In Run
The tanned and toothless Tigers got
their lone run in the seventh inning,
with two out. Mogridge was struck
with his only attack Of wildness in that
Flagstead slashed a hit past Meusel at
third and Veach came home
The 4anks got one moro in the same
inning, when Ping Bodie earnestly
p,astered one into the left field corner
Of the lot for two bagger. Lewis sent
him to third with a sarifice. Hannah
got base or balls Then George Mog-
ridge, after failing in an attempt to
bunt crossed the opposing infeld by
S .as hing d hit between short and third,
acoring Bodie.
The Babe figured in the fourth and
last run of the day to q considerable
extent, in the eighth. Walter Pipp
started off with single to center. The
Babe had the power but not the direc-
jion in the blow that followed. The
ball plowed a furrow in the right field
Grass for single, sending Pipp to
third. Walter scored on Pratt's long
fly to Cobb.
In the third inning Dauss passed
Ruth purposely. You could not blame
him for that, but the way he did it
looked like a violation of the new
rules, in the section meant for Just
such cases.
How Rule Reads
Rule Sd, Section 8, says: at shall
be illegal for the catcher to leave his
natural position Immediately and di
rectly back of the plate for the purpose
OF aiding the pitcher to Intentionally
give base on balls to a batsman. If
the catcher shall move out of position
prior to the time Of the ball leaving
the pitchers hand, all runners on bases
shau be entitled to advance one base"
In the fourth inning yesterday there
were two out and Plpp was at second
when Ruth came to bat. Dauss passed
him purposely and each time he pitched
Catcher Stanage ieaped to the left
while Dauss's arm was back and before
the ball had left the pitchers hand
Dauss did this four times. Dinneen
warned him on the first one, but per
mltted him to get away with the other
three.
1t was a direct violation of the letter
and the spirit of the rule designed to
stop the practice of passing batters
Intentionally. Pipp should have been
passed home on the first two balls. 1t
is just as we'll that this question should
be settled now for great many
pitchers are going to pass Ruth if thev
can get away with it and thereby cause
the fans to become disgruntled. Per
haps they will be able to do it, but
they Will have to be more substle than
Stanage was yesterday if the umpires
do their duty
DETROIT CA ~ NEW YORK a. H.
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