New-York tribune., 1921-02-06
Babe Ruth Out
To Make New
Batting Record
Hopes to Better Even His
Last Years Performance
of Fifty-four Home Runs

Babe Ruth, the celebrated son of
swat, is out to make Of 1921 the mos
glorious season of his scintillating
career. He has designs upon a new
home run record-a pretentious am
biton when It is remem bered that he
clouted fifty-four circuit swats in 1920
but at the same time ne will aim to
prove his great versatility in all round
play.
Ruth is to-day, perhaps, the great
est living southpaw He did no pitch
ing to sp LAX Of last year and little for
the Red Sox in 1919. But this was be
cause that on both occasions he was
out tor a, record in home runs and haL
no time to think of anything but clout-
ing renown. On both occasions he ac-
compllshed his purpose, an dlast year
haVlng set q figure that will stand prob
ably for all time unless he himself is
able to beat the output he is now pre-
pared to devote his attention to other
lines of the game at which he is a
past master
1T Will be no fault Of Bambino if he
goes not augment his popularity in
New York and throughout the Ameri.
can League circuit in 1921. He is at
the zenith of his youth and vigor and
proposes to play every advantage
toward his own ends. Ruth is Of a
stocky build, the type that takes on
mesh fast in the late twenties, but all
the useless aVoirdupoi8 he intends tc
leave behind him before the Yankees
go into spring training at Shreve-
port, La.
Little Care to Physical Condition
Heretofore Ruth has paid little at.
tentlon to his physical condition in the
winter months and invariably has re-.
ported much over weight He ALWAYS
wlntered in the open at his Massachu.
sctts farm. taking only light outdoor
exercise. This winter and last fall
Ruth played baseball almost continu-
ously, transforming the East at the
CLOSE OF the championship season be
tore he went to Cuba for a protracted
tour of the island republic.
Though he played several games
every week in Cuba, Ruth did not
keep on that keen edge Of form known
to professional players throughout
the championship races, and as con
sequence came back to New York
many, pounds heavier than when he
more
among friends, it didn't take him long
to realize the fact that the "bay
window was worrying those who had
has welfare at heart In his sincere
and honest way Ruth Immediately went
about correcting the fault
FOR the last three weeks the greatest
slugger Of all time ras been following
the trail of the wild at the Dover
Hail Club, near Brunswick, Ga, and in
Ncrth Carolina. He spent two weeks
at Dover Hall i'll such distinguished
company as Colonel T. l.. Huston
lrVn 5. Cobb, Wilbert Robinson, JEFF
Pfetter, sport Herman, of Chicago;
Harry Busick, Of Baltimore, and ;
dozen others, During the stay therc
Ruth never spent an idle minute. II,
was the most enthusiastic nimrod ant
! fisherman of them all; he would shoe
ducks or hunt birds all day and traml
most of the night for opossum, raccool
and wildcat. The few minutes before
or after meals usually devoted to goot
digestion the Babe spent in a boat OF
astride saddle horse. Though he
could hold his own with culinary tools
against any two present. Ruth WORKED
80 hard that he took up four notche.
in his belt and lost no less than four
| teen pounds at the popular Gcorgi;
| shooting preserve.
| 1t was at Dover Hall, while perusin!
a baseball publication some New YorI
| friend forwarded to him, that Ruth wa
/ bitten by the "bug" to devote the i'm
/ pending season TO the shrine of Versa
! tlity. He saw therein an article whic1
! proved him the greatest pitcher Of al
! time in the matter Of percentage o
! victories won.
| Ready to Pitch Now
Now, what do you know abou
I th2tW asked Ruth. 81 never suspectc,
! it. But, believe me, / am going to i'm
! prove that record aud put it as ia
beyond the reach of posterity as m
home run record SCENT to be.
! 81 can start right II pitching mex
| year where | left off in 1918. The oil
| soup bone never was better. Indeed
/ nothing ever was the matter with il
| would have been willing to pitch th
last two seasons regularly, Will
doubling in the outfeld other days, bu
my managers were afraid the switcl
might affect my home run proclvities
| "Now I've got all the advertiser!
necessary out of the swatting end O
the game and | intend to show I cal
/ hit and play just as well by switching
about, would Ike nothing bette
than to pitch, play the outfeld and tax,
q turn at first base now and then.
( know ] can win twenty-five games j
i they give me a regular turn in the box
! I'm going to fit myself for such work
because Higgins will be none to,
strong in southpaws: Harper is hi.
only known asset. I intend to abid,
by the judgment of the management
but if am not permitted to pitch, i
will not be because | am not ready"
Ruth will go to Hot Springs, Ark.
to finish off the preliminary work h,
began at Dover Hall He has design.
on the reputation for versatility en-
Joyed by George Sisler. champion bat
ter of the American League, as we'll a.
upon Sisters crown of batting effective
/ ness.
J Navy SxAirn,,,,ars Gxnnr,,n