The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-04-27
DEL PRATT OF
BOSTON LEADS
Al. BATTERS
Sterling Second Baseman is Al
ways Conspicuous One Way
or Another.
By JOHN b. FOSTER.

Copyright, 1922, by The August
New York, April 27.-Del Pratt
of the Boston Red Sox is enjoying
the time of his life. leading the
American league batters. In some
way or another Pratt is always
conspicuous in baseball. In 1920.
even If the Yanks didn't win the
championship, when he was play
ing second base for them, he play
ed about as certain a second base
game as anyone ever saw. He didn't
play the ball with one hand. He
got in front of it and played it with
both hands, and if the remainder
of the team had been playing as
well on the pennant pipes as he
played second base, the Yanks
might have two remnants instead
of one
He batted 324 last year. Maybe
he is another of the crowd that is
out to take Ruth's measure.
Speaker and Sisler are up to win
the American league bat honors,
and best keep an eye on Sisler. He
was grouchy all last summer be-
cause he did not hit as well as he
wanted to after the great showing
that he made in 1920. If he can
win the batting championship back
in the same season that st. Louis
happens to lure the old pennant,
the Mississippi will run homebrew
sure.
Hornsby has been buried in the
National league. but he is fighting
his way up through the branches
to the top and there is nothing in
the league that is going to shake
"OId Tex" from his perch if he
doesn't have an accident.
On the first roundup of hitting in
the American association there
were II batters who were 400 or
over. Don't say that the Hickey
ties have no heavy bass thumpers.
Among them were Kruger, who
was with Brooklyn last season, and
"OId Ironsides" Jay Kirk, who was
born with a bat in his fist and
would have been one of basebalI's
greatest if his speed had matched
his Drawn.
Leaders Upset.
Black Friday was a holiday COM
pared to the Black Wednesday that
turned all the leading clubs topsy-
fits were defeated by Philadelphia S
crepe bearers and just at the mo-
ment. too, when the New York
satirists were having their greatest
enjoyment razzing Philadelphia
again.
Brooklyn submerged Boston
again. and the miracle by which
Boston is to get into first place
this year will have to make the
pace faster than it has to date
Otherwise the Braves will be just
Braves. that and nothing more.
The other Boston club has run into
a raging wildcat down in Wash
ington The Senators were scratch
ed so deeply by the Yanks that
they have been out of their heads
ever since and Boston has been the
victim
Cabs Take Pirates.
Chicago's cantankerous Cubs put
the skids under the Pirates. Alex
ander pitched for Chicago and that
is always an excuse for the other
side Still, if the Pirates wish to
take the Giants by raking them
fore and aft, they've got to get
buster When the, Giants lose, it
is always proper for Pittsburgh to
win as well as proper for Pitts
burgh to win when the Giants win.
looking at it from the viewpoint of
Pittsburgh. Anyhow, there's some
good pitching going on in Chicago
compared with what Chicago had
last year, and with better backing
up. the Cubs are inscribing their
names more clearly on the tables
of fame.
Both St. Louis clubs were licked,
and both of them by tail-enders
It is impossible to bring more
shame upon major league club
than that Cincinnati defeated the
Cards. incidentally winning their
second game of the year. The 9TH
er st. Louis club which has been
going along as if it saw Beulah
land just beyond the next corner,
couldn't make three runs TO defeat
Detroit, which had only two.