The Washington herald., 1920-07-13
The SGissing Ingrelienf.

Americans and Britons in common
play golf ana tennis. sail boats and
indulge In the devices Of the track
and ring. All this makes for won
derful competition, an international
display of absorbing interest. Nor
should polo be forgotten. although
no International contest will be ar
ranged this year.
But with all this, only imagine
the excitement with a crack British
pitcher facing Babe" Ruth in a base
ball world series with the London
Lions pitted- against the New York
fanks-or the Cleveland Indians as
the case may be-with Speaker in
this event supplanting Ruth.
The Next Two.
Having had the returns from our
tennis and golf invasion OF Great
Britain, with extremely depressing
results in the latter carnival, the in
ternational pendulum now swings to
this side Of the Atlantic as Old Ring
Lardner has nicknamed the ocean
separating the two contenders.
Which Is to say that the yacht race
between the Resolute and the new
shamrock will now tap the public
pulse.
Shortly afterward the main whirl
In the impending Olympic games
follows. and when these two are
completed there will be a better
chance to do some tabulating to
figure how the Eagle and the Lion
rank In the standing of the clubs.
Just at present, figuring from the
Pennsylvania relay games, on
through the various contests that
have followed, the vital statistics
in the case favor the Lion.
And no particularly broadmindeo
craftsmanship Is required to extend
felicitations, up to date, to a coun.
try that lost $4,000 men killed in
action and was still able to make
such showing less than two year.
later.
Why Ruth Can Do 1t.
A number of astonished fanatic.
desire to know just what outstand
ing element Babe" Ruth carries IL
his system that can account for hi.
prodigious advantage in the home
run field.
A keen eye and perfect training
| might be offered. But herein, you
have one of the mai reasons:
The average ball player swings a
bat that weighs forty ounces. Thi:
is about as much weight as he car
handle and keep his balance and his
swing intact. Ruth has the bull
and the physical strength to swing
. fifty-four-ounce bat as effectively
! as the others swing a forty-ounce
bat.
1t happens to be no new law thai
distance is gained by momentum
plus mass. A fifty-four-ounce bal
| swung at the same rate of speed as
forty-ounce bat will send a base.
ball approximately so per cent far.
| ther. And 80 per cent is very fire..
Quently the difference between q
long fly to the outfield and a long
| fly over the fence.
Ruth is rare product who hap
pens to have the physical force tc
swing big. heavy bat and yet time
| 1t as perfectly as Keeler and Cobt
{ could time a lighter implement.
AS he grips by the far end of the
handle. he also gets in this addition
al leverage which is expressing In
greater speed as the bat crashes in
to the ball.
This leverage. the weight of the
bat, the physical power to swing the
i weight, a keen eye and perfect con-
! troll of timing are the sum and the
| substance of Ruth's predominant nj
| qualities above the field.
He merely happens to have fOt
| per cent of what a great sluggel
needs. which is just a trifie NOR,
than Delehanty. Lajoie. Davis
Baker. Freeman or any of the other:
carried along.
The Decisive Test.
The most decisive test in sport i,
| a pennant race. No championship
| decided by one meeting or even by 8
weeks play can be conclusive
In tennis Johnston beats Tilden
/ Parke beats Johnston; Tilden beat.
| Parke.
In baseball. over the short route
Princeton beats Harvard; Yal,
beats Princeton; Harvard beat.
Yale.
In any single test lasting but on,
game or enc week. too many out
side\and unknown factors may en-
| ter. such as physical condition
mental attitude, nerve control, etc.
! But wher you get a test tina
tatts in April and runs every da,
INTO october. there can be no com
paint.
For a Fight.
The same dope holds for fcht
On the night of meeting the bette
man may be we'll of with his on