The New York herald., 1922-03-14
RUTH NOT TO GET A
BONUS FOR HOMERS
Higgins Says Tt Would BE I'm
fair to Other Players
Snappy Practice.
by CHARLES A. TAYLOR.

/ Special Dispatch to THE New YoRK HERALD.
NEW ORLEANS, March 1S.-The start
ling Information that Babe Ruth is not
to receive bonus OF $500 for every
home run he makes this year threw the
Yankee training camp into turmoil
this morning. Batting practice was un-
der way when Manager Higgins in
vaded the sanctum Of the correspondents
back of third base. Fire flashed from
the managers eyes and he was all
a-tremble with Cincinnati rage as he
! shouted:
Boys, that tale from Hot Springs
was hot air. nothing else. ] want to
say right here and now that Babe Ruth
has not been promised any $500 bonus
for home runs. He is going to receive
straight salary and nothing more. Col
Huston and l talked this matter over
last night just before the Colonel started
for New York and we decided that this
falsehood should be snuffed out at once.
Why. imagine the effect of this bonus
| thing on the other players! It's unfair,
it's unfair and outrageous" and Hug
jumped from the stand and made for
the bench where his indignation grad
ually cooled off.
So II seems that the Babe must man
age TO get along on his paltry SIS, 900
per-that is unless there is a clause in
1
ment of lump sum in lieu of a certain
number of home runs during the season.
1t wouldn't be surprising il such were
the case. These baseball contracts are
most mysterious documents.
Well. anyhow, Hug was doing all the
worrying about this particular matter.
The Babe had other worries. In the
first place Ruth did not put on his base
ball regalia to-day, but appeared on tho
field in yual1 IN
The big fellow explained that every
muscle In his bulky anatomy was sore.
The truth is that Ruth has been alto
gether too frisky since he reached camp.
TIe felt so fine that he couldn't resist
the temptation to cut loose as though
II were midsummer. Although he has
made no homers yet he has been the
life of every game he has been in as
weu as one of the hardest working play
crs In all the practice sessions.
smashes Out High Flies.
But the Babe was unable 20 remain
entirely idle. When the batting practice
for the veterans started he grabbed his
murderous bludgeon and Joined his
mates at the home plate. The spirit was
/ willing, but the home run flesh was
weak. and the best he could do to the
ball was to smash high flies to various
sections of the outfeld. One of these
soarers almost squashed big Jim Jolley
as he was fioundering about in center
field. Jolley lodged Just in time. But
enough OF the Babe, his contract, his bat
and his soreness.
| The practice to-day was noteworthy
from the fact that for the first time this
year the infield, that is counted upon to
! bring another pennant to Gotham town,
had an opportunity to work together
Pipp was on first, Ward at second, Scott
at short and Baker at third. Maybe the
ball didn't circulate around the bags
Little Scott and Ward teamed up mag
nifcently around the second sack. and
there should be many double killing
put under way by this pair when the big
circus opens.
Baker, at third, was perfectly at home
in this fast company, and in fact he
kept calling for more action. especially
from AL De Vormer, who did the catch
ing and whose arm is not yet ready to
stand the strain Of whipping the ball
about the bases with very much speed.
Al is foxy. He'll take his time getting
into trim and perhaps escape getting
kinks in his wing as result.
Veteran Pitchers on the Job.
The veteran pitchers as well as the
|
day. Sam Jones' Waite Hoyt, Joe Bush,
Bob Shawlsey and Lefty O'Doul pitched
TO the batters. while Carl Mays had a
fairly long warm up with Frank Roth
as his receiver Jones is undoubtedly
ready to pitch a game right now, and Joe
Bush too. seemed TO be rather At. Hoyt
and ShawlSey will need lots OF work. but
neither is troubled with a sore arm.
The rockies were crowded out of the
picture to a certain extent by the old
war horses, but Higgins saw to II that
they were kept busy. The youngsters
had their own little batting session, dur
ing which they faced the shoots OF Jolley,
Quinn and Tecarr. and also had their
All Of fielding bunts and chasing flies in
the outfleld II is probable that a prac-
tice game will be played tomorrow, with
the vets lined up against subs. 1t should
be a hummer"