The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-05-25
Babe Ruth Takes
Up Bludgeon

all performed, EaDe Kuth, the prodlgal
son Of Swat, took up his bludgcon yes
terday, as the New York Yankees op-
ened a long home series at the Polo
grounds with Kenneth Williams, the
Ruthian Lochnivar from out of the
West, trying to make his 1922 Metro
politan debut the beginning of a fade
out for George Herman.
Since he has read of the ball-slam-
ming prowess of Williams, since he
has been shown that the Yankees are
more than a lone man" club, since he
has found that Commissioner Kenesaw
M. Lands means to enforce the rules
and since he has discovered what it
means not to be allowed to play, it is
| reported that Ruth's uniform-includ-
ing his cap-fts better
But regardless of the intrepidity of
Mr. Williams, who seems intent upon
| galloping past the Babes highwater
mark of 50 home runs for last sea
| son; regardless of the fact that Ruth
| has a "record"-as baseball Sher-
| lOckk, if one there was, would term
it, the Krowned King of Klouters is
| still the pride Of Harlem and the big
best baseball drawing card the world
has ever known.
In the view of many fans the atti-
tude that Ruth has displayed since re-
ceiving his sentence" from Commits
sioner Landis, the quiet manner in
which he has conducted himself, his
Witness to ''play the game" and his
apparent determination to make up
for lost time-all of this will bring
as many people to the ball yards to
see him this year as did last.
According to those who have the
Hambinos confidence he has been elat-
ed over the fast pace the Yanks have
set without him in the lineup and now
that he knows that he is trifle more
valuable as magnet to the boX-office
! than as counter in the total scoring
lie will attempt more than ever to be
more of a first-class baseball player
and more diligent purveyor of salts
faction to fandom in general
Ruths appearance in the lineup to-
morrow will mark his first appearance
in a league game this year, 3S days
after the opening OF the season and
with one-fourth of the season gone,
necessitatcs Ruth slamming out ono
homcrun at least every other day and
three on one day to surpass his record
of last year.
The Babe was banished last fall
by Commissioner Lands together with
Rob Mcusel, another Yank whose
achievement of getting "a homeruns
last year is seldom thought of, for
playing an exhibition game with the
Duialo International League team af-
ter the world series Rad ended, in vio-
lation of the rule that prohibits world
series players from indulging in such
exhibitions.
Not only did Ruth and Meusel vio-
late the rule but they did it after
| Commissioner Landis had perse,albr
talked with Ruth and told him what
would happen in case the rule was vio-
lated. After that conversation Ruth
expressed his determination to fout
the commissioner, and Lands, meet
ing the most severe test of his base.
ball career, foreshadowed what his de-
cision would be by saying:
at will be a personal issue between
Ruth and me to determine which man
| is bigger in baseball" With the 3S
| days suspension over it looks to base
| ball fandom as if Landis is convinced
that Lands is the bigger and that
| Ruth also is so convinced.
AS soon as he had fiouted Lands,
Ruth was sorry, but he chad gone and
| done it, Full Of remorse and fore
bcdings, Ruth hoped back to New
| York, swore repentenance and took
rest. Soon the Lands decision came
along and Babe became quiet-quiet
until Colonel Huston, part owner Of
the Yankees, found him at Hot
Springs and got the Babe to sign q
five-year contract calling for between
$75,0 900 and 100000 a year flat sal
ary.
Babe went to the training camp with
the club and played in the exhibition
games enroute home and at home, but
when the club opened in Washington
Ruth sat in the grandstand like Presi-
dent Harding. Since then he has prac-
ticcd off and on, read the papers, trav-
elled bit, played golf, undergone a
minor operation, and become glum and
downcast, anticipatory and happy.
He donned his uniform again, "bet-
ter balanced" as Commissioner Ian.
dis, who is now his very good friend,
would say.
Ruth, unquestionably the greatest
hitter of all time, has batted out rs
tomeruns in the last six years. He
scored four in 1915, three in 1916, two
in 1917, II in 1918, 20 in 1919-break-
ing the then worlds record, Sd in 1920,
and 80 last year-a total of 1873. His
homerun hitting has become so pro-
life that it was suggested last season
that he be handicapped by being al
lowed only two strikes or to bat only