The New York herald., 1921-03-08
RUTH MAKES EIGHT
HITS OYER FENCE
Babe Jumps Into Training at
a Wholesale Batting Clip
at Shreveport.
ALL AGLoW AND EAGER
His Side Defeats Team B by
19 to 9-Spectacular
Work by Fewster.
ny WILLIAM b. HANNA.

Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
SHREVEPORT, La. March babe
Ruth, full panoplied, jumped into the
swing of the Yankees training to-day
and put in an active and varied day
with as much ardor as II he had been
here from the start The lame heel he
brought with him from Hot Springs had
him limping little, but he says that the
effects of that injury will be all gone
in two or three days, and he romped
about to-day as If they already were
gone.
Ruth put on big show this morning.
He headed the Higgins cast. Local fans
perched themselves all over the front
railing Of the grand stand, watching
Ruth's every move and interfering with
the view Of those behind. Chief among
the Babes morning industries were eight
fair hits over the fences. The fences
here are not so far out that a lift over
them is especially stupendous. Other
Yankees are putting the ball over them,
but Ruth was the first to do it at a
wholesale clip.
Mcmillan. Ledbetter. the big pitcher.
and Ping Bodie all whanged the ball
over. eihter in practice or in the after
noon game. but eight in one cluster is
out Of the usual. One of them went over
the centre field fence. low swift bolt,
and 1t was a tremendous drive. In the
afternoon Ruth put triple on a line
against the same fence, the only hit he
made In the practice game.
'sHit 'Em Harder" YelIs Ruth.
Tho Babe was all aglow and eager.
He played first base or hit bunts when
not taking his turn at bat. and did 1t
all with beaming face as IL glad to be
back at the old game. Golf is all right
in its way, but this was baseball, for
which there Is no substitute So the
Babe seemed to regard II. At first base
where he practised in the morning with
an infield composed Of himself, French
at second. Mitchell at short and Ward
at third, he yelled at Huggins to "hit
'em harder" and Hug was busting 'em
down that way lickety-split. All the
other players stopped when he took his
batting turn. He was ginger from head
to heel, and the incarnation OF virile
power. Yet with all that, to prophesy
seventy-five home runs for him as has
been done is absurd and unfair.
1t was Ruths first baseball practically
of the year, for he did little work in
Hot Springs after he hurt his leg last
Monday. I'D been in right good shape
right now II l hadn't laid on nve days
in Hot Springs" he said. Il won't be
long getting in shape. and as It is I'm
in as good condition now as / was last
summer"
The Babes eye apparently is better
than at Jacksonville last spring. He is
still lunging betimes before the arrival
of the ball. but on the whole he is meet
ing it much more squarely than a year
ago and driving the ball harder.
Huggins intends playing Ward at sec
ond base, but he had him and McNally
at third this afternoon. He didn't use
15odo wanting to give further trial 10
his numerous recruit outiielders. One Of
these Is young Skinner. who has made
daily Improvement, who plays as If he
loves the game and who was the games
batting sensation. He made two sim
giles. a double. a triple and sacrifice
fly to the fence. The team of which
Ruth was a member murdered the ball,
but it must be admitted that the pitch
ing encountered thus far In these con-
tests has been somewhat soft
The players were apportioned as fol-