The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-05-29


Dickie Kerr, the Chicago left
handler. pitched a fast ball, and the
fast one of the left-hander always
breaks in to the left-handed batter.
i caught the ball on the handle
of my bat and 1t almost hit the
center field fence. with the full
force of the swing applied properly.
the leather would have gone over
the screen.
USED "TOOTHPICK, BAT.
The pitchers were not fooling me /;
i knew what was coming. but then
followed a dreary period. l topped
pretty nearly every ball I hit. There
are streaks that come to the ball
player when he just can't get the
ball out of the diamond. Finally,
in st. Louis. / became Disguised
i threw aside my heavy bats and
borrowed one of Erin Wards sticks.
This club weighed only thirty-two
ounces. while my clubs weigh fifty
four ounces. Shocker put one just
where / wanted 1t and swung
that little toothpick with all my
might. The fence that tho ball
cleared Is moro than 400 feet from
the home plate and rises at least
twenty feet from the playing field.
i wonder where 1t would have sone
II l had used my big bat.
Dropping into that slump gave my
home run record an awful bump.
However. / am still ahead OF the I'D
mark. 1t was not until Juno 2 last
year that / made my thirteenth
homer, and Je1 Zachary, of Washing
ton. was pitching on the Polo grounds.
Having emerged from tbs slump
think / will carry on now and pile
UP q new run of homers II the pitch
ers will take a chance.
PLAYED THEM SAFE.
I'll say ono thing for the pitchers
Of the Western clubs: They certainly
played safe when 1 came to the bat.
In the sixteen games I was walked
twenty times and once Shocker acct
dentally hit me with a pitched ball.
The Browns were especially solicitcus
after tho health Of the ball. and
was passed eight times in the four
games, and this despite the fact that
j was not hitting as I usually hit.
Ehmke was the only Detroit pitcher
who refused to pitch to me. He pass
ed me three times out OF FIVE. Faber
was the only one OF the White Sox
who was not afraid to take a chance.
He pitched TO me five times in a row
and he had all the best of IT, too. for
j failed to get base hit.
The fans around the country don't
approve of this stun. My mind is
always on the game. but, just the
same, / can hear the boots from the
stand when I am standing there while
the hurlers pitch wide OF the plate. 1t
may be good strategy on the part of
the pitcher. but the fans are no In
terested in that kind OF cunning
They want to see me hit. I am the
slugger. and glory in the title. There
is no thrill like that which comes
when the batter hits a home run over
the fence. / can't hit homer every
time up, nor can l do 1t every day,
but you can bet your last cent that
try to do 1t every time.
BABE HAS COMPANY.
That not only would break all home
run records. but 1t would be the
record for the greatest number OF hits
of any sort made in one game. will
bert Robinson, of the old Orioles. made
that mark away back in the dark ages
of baseball. SO at least two records
were made by Baltimore men.
The Yankees are now back at the
Polo grounds after short trip to
Washington and we will be home for
nearly a month. That will give Mil
Ter Higgins a chance to get his new
outfeld combination working smooth
ly. We were greatly relieved to
learn from Bonesette Rreese that
Bob Shawkey's arm Is not seriously
hurt and that with a little more hot
weather he will be able to take his
turn in the box. with Shawkey IN
the game we need have no fear Of any
of the Westerners.