Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-04-29
KENNETH WILLIAMS
At TOP OF BATTING
IN AMERICANLEAGUE
ST. LOUIS sLUaoER ALREADY
HAS SIX HOME RUNS TO MS
CREDIT; ALSO SHOWS WAY 70
BASE srEALERs WITH EIGHT
THEFTS.

Chicago, April Kenneth VII
liams, the hard hitting outncldnr
with the st. Louis Browns, whc
startled the baseball world by crack.
Ing Babe Ruth's home record for the
first two weeks Of the season when he
smashed out six circuit drives. is al
the top of the batters in the Ameri
can league, according to averages re.
leased today and which include Wed.
n2sday's games
Williams is tied with iris Speaker.
the veteran leader of the Cleveland
lndians. Each has an ayerae" of 40.
Williams is not only topping tho hit
ters, but is showing the way 10 the
base stealers with eight thefts. Ills six
home runs Is a big advantage over
his rivals. and if he maintains his
present stride, Ruth will have @ big
handicap TO overcome when he re-.
turns to the game on May 20. The
St Louis slugger also is out in front
in total bases with a total of A.
George Sisler another star of the
Browns has been welding the willow
with telling effect since the curtain
rose, and Is trailing tie leaders with
an average of .4i4.
Other leading batters for five or
more games are: Pratt. Boston. .422.
Z. Smith Boston. .429; f. Collins. Chi
cago, $50; Scott. New York, .37S:
Wood, Cleveland, 375; Jameson, Gle.
veland, $40; Blue. Detroit 364: He'll
mann, Detroit 364; Cutshaw Detroit
.346; Rice. Washington, $40
Kelly Has Competition.
George Kelly the Giants first base.
man. who last season lead the Nation.
al league home run hitters, is ont toN
repeat this season, but appears to
nave some keen competition in his
fcammate, Meusel and Cy Williams.
the Philadelphia outGelder This trio
has clouted out three homars apiece
Kelly, is topping the batters with
an average Of AS, while Tierney. the |
Pittsburgh second sacker is three |
points behind with mark of .i52 |
Hornsby, of st. Louis, who carried off |
Tho leagues batting hOnors last sea. |
son, Is down in the list with a mark |
OF .aGS.
Rabbit Meanwhile Of the Pirates and |
Rawlings Of the Giants are having a |
nip and tuck race for the honors
among the base stealors Each had
pilfered four
Other leading batters for five or
more games are: Tierney. Pittsburgh
429: Harper, Cincinnati 421 Hol-
locher, Chicago, .3SS Williams Phila T
delphia, .375; Hornsby. st. Louis. 1868 I
Bigbee, Pittsburgh .3G2; Henlino. .
Philadelphia 351.
Gosseti Leads Am. Association.
Initial averages of the American as /
sociation show GOssett, the Nilwau.
r catcher hasking j" the leadership
with an average Of .4l9. Mayer,
catcher with Minneapolis is runner
mp with, .405.
Seven players are in the scramble |
for home run hOnors, each having col |
lected two Thov arc: Gossctt Mil |
'vaukce MAYER Minneapolis. Lomrr. |
Toledo; Russell, Minneapolis; TOdt. |
Toledo Burras Columbus and Brief !
Kansas City. Catchcrs have been on
the alert for thefts as the leading |
base steaors have been held down to !
- rec upltCt NV are NIUIDtNS * |
Milwaukee; fIegh, indianapolis; Chris |
Jensen, St Paul
Other leading batters for ten or
more games: Kirke, Louisville, 400:
Kruegor, INDIANAPOLIS. 400; Law9r,
Toledo, .395: Russell, Minneapolis.
.39J Murphy. Columhus 800 Jart.
ley Columbus, 800; Sticking, Indian
apolls, 800: Lear, Milwaukee. $50.
East BIazes Trail in Western.
Carl East outfeldcr with the Wichi-
"a club, is blazing the trail for the
hittors in the Western LEAGUE with an
average of SIP. In his first twelve
games, East collected twenty-five hits,
three of them being homers and four
going for doubles.
Davis, Of Tulsa, is carving 2 name
for himself in the home run hall Of
fame In thirteen games. he poled six
circuit drives. Bennett and Thomp-
son also of Tulsa, are following him
with four homers apiece. Conlon. Of
Michita, is leading the league in base
stealing with five.