The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-12
FORMER NATIONAL
LEAGUE HOME RUN
CHAMPION is DEAD
By GEoRGE CHADWICK
Special Correspondent of The Age HeraI
Copyright. 1922. by The Age-Heraid1

Special Correspondent of The Age Herald
Copyright. 1922, by The Age-Heraidl
New York, November 1.-THE
home run king of the National league
is dead and he took his honors to
the grave with him. There ia no
player in sight in the ranks of the
older league unless 1t is Rogers
Hornsby OF the St Louis Cardinals.
who is likely to wrest them from
him.
Sam Thompson. Big Sam" who
died suddenly a few DAYS ago in De-
troit hit 1877 home runs IN the Ma
tional league from the time he broke
into the big show until he found his
cid legs could not carry him around
the bases any more as they had been
wont to do.
Good batting? Yes. batting OF the
highest type but when a batter arose
who could hit more than a half cen
fury of home runs in a single season.
the fame of Sam Thompson was for
gotten by the younger clement.
what kind of a batter was this
Sam Thompson" asked Babe Ruth
today. The batting bambino who can
hit everything in sight until there S
world series, and who then cannot
sight anything, stretched his arms
and squared his shoulders. Did he
hit like me?"
mo. he had different swing from
yours He was a left handler as you
are but he did not swing from over
the shoulder. He pushed the ball and
he could push Ii as hard as an ele
plant bunting the lions cage up the
In H. ,fF,T Loo 1u
Some push" calculated Babe.
scratching his head. was he big
fellow,
eyes. bigger than you are-taller
and not SO big around, but with more
massive legs"
Could he hit as far as I have?"
Sometimes, although he may never
have hit one as far as your farthest
Some bust l gave that. old apple
out IN Detroit once" Babe grinncd
remniscently. They say t was thu
longest ever made. Thompson died
in Detroit. Maybe he saw me hit
that one
Was Old Timer
The home run King Of the American
league Is alive and the home run
King of the Nationals Is dead. bur
Thompson Is not forgotten by the
old timers. Harry wright-the pres
emit generation knows him only nv
name--who was one of the best man
ayers the National league ever had.
and who as a player helped TO maxi
the game What It Is always main
tanned that Thompson was the hard
est hitter who ever lived. Wright
hv the way. was an uncle OF Seals
Wright the tennis star
Mnparprc V.hacp fearne Ia
Philadelphia when Sam played fo-
the Phillies. hated to see Thompson
come to bat with men on bases and
usually they gave orders to pass him
Rucl; Ewing was behind the bat
against Philadelphia in 1899. the ycae
when Thompson hit q home runs
Three men were on bases and Thomn
son was up. Ewing was always
something OF a humorist and h.
counted on getting Thompson's eoat
AS Big Sam walked to the plata.
Ewing turned to the stands. Removed
his cap and said:' "Gentlemen. vna
all know Mr.. Thompson. He Is goins
to bat. You can kiss the ball good
by"
Sam grnned. shifted his long. legs
around dug in his spikes. let twe
go by and hit the third one When
last seen the bah was headed for the
next county. AS Sam trailcd the
other three players across the plate
he said to Ewing: Il make II rule
never TO disappoint an old pal. Buck
What Buck said cannot he printed
President John Heydler when
asked today II he thought any player
in his circuit had a chance to surpass
Thompsons record. replied: Il think
IIornshy has a chance"