The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-18

/ hold pitching records and home
run records. My baseball life has
been pretty well filled with the
sweets of the game. Now, for the
first time since gave up pitch
!. ing and turned to hitting, my
! batting average is up around
400, and have chance to. do
something Il always have wanted
TO do. Il have a chance to lead the
American League in hitting as
well as In homers.
AS q. rule, I don't like to quar-
rel with my friends. HeiImann is
one OF the best friends I have
come any nicer than Harry any
way you look at him. But every
thing, they say, is fair in love and
I war, 90 I suppose it ought to be
the same in baseball.
may or may not beat Harry.
out. III lose I win have lost to
enc Of the finest fellows in the
.worSdHtO o personal friend.
There won't be much Of q sting
am that, only, the disappointment
19A4UAUs
But I don't want to fail. I've
Get my heart on this new ambition
Of mine. It's dream that came
into my mind back on my farm
last winter when ] worked nay
head off getting into shape for
this season. That dream came
true for a few minutes during q
game we played against Detroit
last week.
Harry and I were doing our best,
bat ] crept up on him and passed
him during the game. However, at
the end of the same game, he pass.
Cd me. and was leading by two one.
thoueandths Of q point. That, of
course, isn't much, but on the ;ast
day Of the season 1t counts just as
much as 100 full points. However,
we still have quite a way to go
and a lot of things can happen.
It's shame Harry hasn't the
knack Of getting under the skins
OF the fans like Ty Cobb. for
instance. Ty is always doing lit
tie things to entertain the crowd
Theatrical people say he's a great
shewman. but Harry isn't.
He simply gets out on that ball
field. He's sort Of baseball work
man. He does everything that is
asked of him and whales the ever
lasting daylights out of that ap-
pie. He thinks OF nothing but
the all game. A great follow, Har-
ry-and great ball player. If
anybody does keep me from lead
1pg the league in hitting hope
It's Harry.
This experience Of mine - sur
prfsing q lot Of fans, judging
from the letters I've been getting
from all parts of the country.
Apparently, everybody expected
! me to hit home runs and nothing
else, but / remember that Miller
Higgins, the Yankees manager.
told me down South last spring I
could lead the league and hit
close to 400 IL wanted to and
wOnld concentrate on ordinary
base hits instead Of homers.
To tell the truth, I thought Hug
gins was kidding me and trying to
encourage me. However, he must
have known what he was talking
about, as I am hitting close to 400.
remember that / got the same
notion that Higgins had during the
winter. I was chopping wood up
on my farm in Massachusetts,, and
as I swung the ak up and down
was impressed the way the chips
flew. The ak handle was shorter
than my bat and I thought of the
chips as so many base hits-singles
+, and doubles and triples-and when
!. / brought the tree down l thought
. on that as a homer.
I've had all this in my mind ever
; since began to climb up on He'll
! mann. Maybe all the hard work
did last winter will make my big
! dream come true. Maybe 1 will lead
J in homers as well as in all-around
! hitting. I'll be happy left-hander