The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-14
INDICATIONS ARE POINTING TO NEW HOME RUN RECORD
Mighty Babe Ruth Is Ahead of His 1920 Record-A
 Few Statistics
ny GEORGE CHADWICK

special Correspondent to Th> A~e-Herald
 Copyright, 1921, by The AEe-Herald)
 New York, August 13.-The time of the year has come when Babe Ruth and his home-run record run close to the major league championship races in interest It's astonishing how much speculation there is among the fans about his chances to beat his own mark of 1920.
 Winning pennants is big thing in baseball, and is supposed to he the biz thing. Yet, after all, winning a pennant probably has more of To- cal flavor and local atmosphere than most people think. It's only the im- mediate section in which a pennant contender thrives that has paIpita- tion of the heart all the time, while making homerun record is na- tional event, appreciated from Casco, Me. to San Diego. Cal.
 Here are some of the figures about Ruth's home runs. The figures will not make home runs. and they are not even prophetic, because batting is a condition of mind. player
 
 of sorts, he Is less likely to hit the ball on the nose than if he Is in good humor with himself,
 StatisticaIIy Speaking
 This year the big swatter to date has been making one hundred and twenty -four thousa ndths of a home run every time he went to bat That Is sort of cumulative force proposi- ton, which at irregular intervals brings forth home run and If he goes 10 bat this season as many times as he did last season, he should make 5e solid home runs and almost his fifty seventh. In any event, he is entitled to the fifty seventh That would be three home runs better than his record of 1920.
 But he should go to bat more times this year than he did last year, be- cause he played in only 142 games in 1920. He was out occasionally be- cause of injury, so those who are pre- dieting that he will make another record this year must root" that he isn't injured
 Here is another way to look at it. During this season he has averaged four hundred and seventeen thou sandths of a home run per game. That in eighty three thousandths less than half home run. If he keeps up the average the remainder of the season, he should bat 64 home runs. That is more hopeful array Of mathematics for Ruth's success. but 1t doesn't get down quite so close 10 hard pan as the previous figuring. based on the amount of physical ener- gy that he puts forth per time at bat
 Is nnfnC naffHr
 Tn 1920 his average of home runs per game was 3S0 thousandths That was for the total season. II will be noted from that result that he is go- ing quite a little better this year than he was when he made hts worlds record of 54 home runs. Ns- turally that indicates all the moro that he will surpass his figures of 1920 this season.
 Going back to what he did in 1920. it is not out of place to state that in the month of August his pace at on time indicated that he might set a mark of 65 lbme runs. He failed to Go so. For one reason he did not play tho full season and for another, and very important reason. did not hit the home runs when he did play.
 He has batted 10 home runs against Detroit pitchers this year, ' against those of Boston. against the Wash ington and Philadelphia contingenes, 5 each against Cleveland and St. Louis. and against Chicago.
 Should Make New Record
 To tell the truth, there Is every- thing in his. favor for making new record, He leads on his showing of 1920 and nothing has happened 10 date which intlmates that he will fall back much. It is true that he did not hit a home rrn recently Tor about a week or so, but he showed he hadn't forgotten how when con- ditions again come right to him be- cause. he started with two in one aft- ernoon and has gone along booming since
 He has made 3 home runs against Dauss of Detroit. this season against Walter Johnson of Washing ton and against Davis of St. Louis tie has frequently made two home runs against other pitchers but three against Walter Johnson in one year is pretty good. Dauss. he peppers about as often as the Detroit pitcher appears against him.
 If confidence is to be placed in figures George Herman seems likely to do better this year than he has ever done, but when you get down to the pith in the elderberry bush. rely a lot on the brawn that is Tn that pair of mighty shoulders and the keen vision that peers from tne Ruth eyes. They will tell the home run story if anything does.
 But don't be surprised if he hits 6o Eomers if his health remains gccd' and he doesn't become peevish from the strain of battle