Evening star., 1920-02-01

OffenSe. | can't agree with those Wh
pennant for New York. 1t would bs
League if the Yankees could put ov
greatness OF Ruth L cannot see wher
tainty.
The New York club has never
lacked batting strength. at east OF
late years The club has had puncA
with the bat for five or SIX years, Dut
even that punch could not overcome
other faults. The club sadly lacks
speed. and the coming of Ruth adds
nothing to that department. Usually
Babe hits them so far that speed is
not necessary on his drives. A dog
trot around the bases often SufficeS.
il has always taken many base hits
TO get runs for the Yankees. More
speed or the bases last year would
Gus contender. Ruth will strengthen
the Yankees. but from my point OF
view not enough to make the Yam
KEGS the hest bet for the pennant.
biggest Card in the Game.
Ruth is the biggest card in the
game. He teens with color. When
he plays patrons go out fee-lng they
viii see the hig fellow do something
out OF he ordinary. I know lot OF
fans who never think of getting out
TO the ball park until a few minutes
prior to the start of the game, eX-
cept when Ruth is the attraction On
such dayss these same fans are out
time just to watch Ruth hit them in
batting practice. One enthusiast told
me last summer batting practice with
Ruth at his best affords more amuSe-
Inent to him than the game. In bat
ting practice Ruth is always a bear.
The pitchers lay them right over. and
Ruth does the rest. One day at the
Polo Grounds in New York / saw
him hit eight balls into the right
field stands
rI,vipr with tho VankaeS he will
prove a great card for the American
League. He is already a big favorite
fn New York. If he can only continue
to swat the ball in 1919 fashion he
about have to get Roger Hornsby in
order TO divide up the hero worship
ing on the part of the fans. The
American LeaguerS will profit by the
sale from a financial standpoint, be-
cause all of the visiting teams are
certain to do a big business at the
Polo Grounds this year. if the Yankees
are up in the race, and there seems
TO be no reason why they shouldn't be
a strong contender. In Boston all the
clubs will suffer. because many fans
will not take kindly to the sale of
Ruth. The attendance there is almost
certain to fall off. Boston, however
is such a great ball town. and has
suffered and survived other shocks
like the sale of Cy Young, Iris
Speaker. Duffy Lewis and others. that
its love for the game will probably
overcome other grievances. However
] feel the increased business in New
York Will more than offset any falling
off al Boston because Ruth is bound
to go big at the Polo Grounds.
New HOme-Run Mark Doubtful
Already some people feel confident
Ruth Will easily break Ills home-run
record of twenty-nine made last year
hey base such belief on the short
stands in right and left fields at the
Polo Grounds. the right field stands
in particular. Playing seventy-seven
games at the Polo Grounds, they be-
lieve he will make that right field
stand a target for many of his
mighty drives and easily break his
record I hope he does shatter his
1919 mark. because he must be hit
ting them on the nose at New York
TO remain an idol The fans won't
Judge him by his 1919 performance,
but what he does in 1920. Possibly
he will break his record. but / don't
think he will. OF course. 1 have my
reaso Fenway Park in Boston has
opposing pitchers. to a great extent
worked on the inside of the plate to
him last year. They wanted to make
it easy for him to pull ball to right
field, feeling there was better
chance for il to be caught. l believe
am conservative when / say / saw
Ruth hit at least a dozen fly balls to
righ. field in games at Boston last
year that would have gone into the
right field stands at the Polo Grounds
in New York and been good for home
runs. All of those hits were fairly
easy outs at the Boston park.
Pitchers Will work carefully on
Ruth at the Polo Grounds. The only
balls he gets on the inside will be
due to loss of control by the pitcher
Ruth will be forced to hit them
to left field. In this respect he is
rather fortunate. because the left
field fence at the Polo Grounds il
also rather short Ruth hits a ball
hard TO any field because he is
natural swinger. While most people
are inclined to believe the right field
stands will be soft for him at the
Polo Grounds, I incline to the belief
III that park into the left field sec
ton. ! base such a belief on the
knowledge that the American League
pitchers possess. and feel sure they
will use that knowledge in pitching
to Ruth.
Birdie Cree's Experience.
When Birdie Cree played with the
New York club on the old Highlander
ground he was a notorious right field
hitter. When the club moved to the
Polo Grounds IL was predicted Cree
would find that right field stand soft
plcklng- OOn Deileye cree nit more
than two or three balls into the right
field stand Likewise it was pre-
dicted Frank Baker would make much
use of the short distance from the
plate to right field but Frank has
done nothing sensational along those
lines. although every now and then
some pitcher gets one on the inside
and Frank knocks off several chunks
of cement in the upper tier section
Major league pitchers are pretty wise,
and Ruth will be carefully pitched to
at the Polo Grounds
I also see a statement credited to
Manager Huggins that he would like
to pitch Ruth every fourth or fifth
day, and play him in the outfield the
rest of the time. / doubt If Huggins
ever made such statement. II he
did. he better forget about 1t. Three
wears ago Ruth was the greatest
eouthpaw in the American league. If
not the best in the country. He had
terrific speed. good curve and ex-
ceIlent control. Ruth reminded me
more of Rube Waddell than any
other pitcher / have ever seen, with
the possible exception of Vean Gregg
when he was at his best. His speed
was SO great he could win without
rasortine to curve bali only on
rare occasions. To use the slang OF
the ball field. he simply threw EN-
past the batter.
The past two years Ruth has been
onIy an ordinary left-hander. There