New-York tribune., 1921-01-04
Great Slugger
Aims at Sixty
Ho1ners in '2l
May Go With Battery Men
to Hot Springs; Also May
Pitch a Bit "a the Side
By w. J. Macbeth

Babe Ruth, the King of Swat, who
returned from 8 tour of Cuba ten days
ago. paid his first official visit TO the
Yankee Offices yesterday afternoon and
spent pleasant hour or two with his
Old buddy" Ed Barrow, business man.
ager OF the club.
Ruth, who accumulated a bankroll
and also six or seven inches additional
girth transforming through the prov
laces and Cuba (though the gossips do
say Babe left the island with little to
show for his visit except the girth),
mas so.icited Barrow to arrange with
Msnae"r Huggins, when the two meet
IN CAcago next week, for the cham
pion home-run hitter Of all time to
spend two or three weeks at Hot
Springs or French Lick before the
Yankees 60 into training at Shreve-
port, La.
Il am not bit worried about the
weight ! have picked up" declared the
Babe. II always pick up every winter
and find it no disadvantage at all 1t
gives me something to work on through
the spring training trip. l like to work
hard in the South, and find can stand
the gaf better if | have some fat TO
lose by the process
You Will remember" went on the
Babe, +.rnng to some newspaper men
present, that you all thought me big
as house when reported in Jack
sonville, Fla, last spring. Wel.. ! was
heavier then than | am now, but when
the old bell rang | was down almost to
weight
Not Worried Over Weight
never like to be at my lowest
weight when the season starts. a few
extra pounds furnishes reserve thar
q 1o.a
sflnd. You may have noticed during
ne last two seasons. while 7 have
played the outiield regularly. and during
which hit better than at any previous
time in my life. | got more long HITS
through the last half of the season,
"hen the pitching is undoubtedly at IS
very best, than in The first three
months.
weight" concluded the Babe. Il
naturally must expect to get a little
stouter year by year, bat / am better
physically than ! was year ago.
think the ball have played since the
close of the last championship season
VIII prove benefit rather than a
handicap in the end l am soon going
back to the farm in Massachusetts, and
will put in six weeks or so Of rugged
outdoor life, chopping wood and the
like. BY the time I leave for Hot
Springs should be fit to meet
grizzly"
While not given to braggadocco
Ruth has every confidence in his abil-
~ to clout the ball far and often.
He declares he never hit harder than
in Cuba. But home runs came hard
because the :ields we're boundless as
the prairies almost and the outf elders
lad so far back it was almost :npos-
sioie to hit the ball over their heads.
Looks for Better Season
Ruth believes he should have a bet
ter year in 1921 than his record
breaker Of 1920. In the first place he
will be more familiar with the Polo
Grounds; secondly, he believes he has
entirely recovered strength in weak
knee that bothered HIM considerably
through the season Of 1919, though less
IN 1870 The recovery he attributes 20
the amel.orating effects Of Cubas
climate This rrcp has not bothered
him bit since it was baked by Cubas
sun, though he submitted IL to the
most strenuous tests.
"Sixty home runs or more will be my
slogan for 1921" said Ruth ty way of
adieu. 1T may sound boastful, but
you'll find me there or thereabout next
Hot Springs or French Lick q couple
of weeks ahead of the general as
sembly st Shreveport"
Furthermore. during ttc &C Of
his remarks, Ruth dropped q mint or
two that may or may not be OF special
significance. He declared that the
risit to Cuba had completely rejuven-
ated his mighty left arm. Whether or
pot this means he has ambitions 20
double in brass and pitch a few games
10, Huggins next season remains to be
seen. Huggins certainly could use
such sterling left handler.
As late as 1919 Ruth was considered
cae Of the greatest southpaws of all
time and pitched number of brilliant
gGmes. though his permanent assign
rnen- to the outfeld seemed to lessen
MIS- desire TO shine IS q boxman. In
Iced, Ruth was s oeager TO center all
his attention on home-run hitting it
has been gencraly believed his alleged
loss OF southpaw cunning was more or
less eXasive.
Ruth must have somewhat satiated
his appetite for cloutng last year. He
IS Snowman enough to realize that b.
taking his regular turn in the box pro
vided he could come back a pitcher Of
tire 1918 type) he could enhance his
popularity with New York fandom. And
he could just about guarantee Huggins
pennant in the bargain.