Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-05-24

Styles Of Batting Of I've
Men Differ Greatly, Say
Sport Writers.

New York, May 24.-The suprem-
acy OF Babe Ruth in the vocation OF
home run batting i threatened.
George Kelly. the lanky FIRST base
ma OF the Giants who, after ex-
p%efience with the Giants, was sent
BY Manager McGraw to the Rochest-
or International Club because of weak
hitting ability, lis. proving q worthy
rival in the struggle which has grip
ped the interest Of the baseball pub
lie throughout the country.
Kslly came to the Giants BY pur-
chase from the Pacific Coast several
years ago a. an outfielder. He Is six
feet, three inches tail, and his height
made McGraw school him Is . frst
bA9eman.sf 10 s=,ys,
ss. Progressed Rapidly
In the fielding department Of the
game he progressed rapidly. In bat
ting however, he remained woefully
weak. 1t was this deficiency that
caused his sale to the Rochester club
after two years In New York.
McGraw, however. had seen the
marks. OF q baseball player in the
lanky Californian and he decided to
give him another trial, with the re-
suit that he was repurchased by the
Giants in the fall Of ls1s. With
the beginning Of the 1920 season he
regular after a training trip per-
Torrance that proved his natural
ability. II
The reception accorded by New
York fans in the early games OF
last season would have discouraged
a less. reeolute player. The reg
ulara" who sit back of first base. re-
membered this huge recruit who be-
fore had failed to "hit his weight
and he was the victim of much
grandstAnd wit. Kelly naturally
Is modest and a retiring man and
the kidding" bothered him. Never
thelese. the confidence which McGraw
had shown in him, rave him con
more consistently and hit the ball
His average was. .2e6. Eleven home
runs and the same number of
triples were included in the seasons
figures. {
Sensational Year
This year he has been the sensation
Of the major leagues. His first home
run drive antedated that OF Ruth BY
three days: When the Yankee star
got, his n and started to pump
the balls into the outfeld stands
Kelly continued right on his trail and
today the III Ruth IL. Kelly 8,
in the nip and tuck struggle.
Kelly hits more opportunity than
Ruth. Twice this season his smash
es have come with three men on
bases. Ruth's IL home runs have
resulted in 10 scores for the Yankees
0IIVs~ A~h$ ASsy~. 49, ---A- q
same number across the plate.
kelly's style of hitting is in mark.
ed contrast to that Of Babe Ruth's,
The Giants star Is q more rangy
type OF batsman, although his weight
Of zoo pounds is no greater thar
Ruth's poundage. He bats and
throws right handed. while Ruth i,
left handed in both. Because OF
the difference in batting, Ruth in.
clines to right field hitting. while Kel.
~ b more apt to drive the ball ia
left.
Kelly is a freer hitter than Ruth
in that he will hit to all fields, left
center. and right, oftcner than the
Yankee star. Ruth. however. hits
all kinds of balls. high or low. slow
or fast, inside or outside, oftener
than Kelly.
Kelly is a wrist hitter" Ruth
employees a long powerful swing with
the arms. getting the benefit Of ev-
ery\ ounce OF his weight. Kelly
leans we'll forward when he, bats
Ruth does not: tKeliy's feet are
farther apart than Ruth's and he has
an awkward knee action. He does.
MT bring the ball forward, from a.
far back. but cuts savagely with the
wrist and thus gets his enormou.
power. Baseball men here expect
Ruth to outdistance Kelly by a com.
Portable margin when the records 10,
the 1921 season are complied. How
ever. the early season work Of the
rivals has provided one Of the mos
interesting features OF recent year.
in maiAH Lon allA. ha sohAll WIN -----