San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-07
Death Of Keller, Following
That Of Anson, Cuts Nurl-
Der to Nine.
WAGNER HEADS THE LIST
Cobb Likely to Establish
Greatest Record for
800 Hitting.
By GEORGE CHADWICK.

Copyright, 1928, by The san Antonio Light
New York. Jan. 6--Slowly tie magic
circle of uper-batsmen-those who have
hit for a percentage of 300 or better,
for ten years or more in succession IN
the major leagues-is narrowing. This
death of Wee Willie Keller at the
dawn of the new year, left only nine
alive and recognized. Prior to the
death of Cap Arson in 1922, there
were eleven. Only thirteen such bat5
tiers have existed since baseball figS
ures were first tabulated. One of theses
alive in the flesh, is dead so far as
baseball is concerned and his record
has been blotted out.
Hans Wagner of Pittsburg. heads tho
list of those who made batting averS
ages of. 300 or more for seventeen sue
cesSiye years. He began at the gait in
1897 and maintained it until 1913!
Next is Ty Cobb, who also has seyen4
teen 300 seasons to his credit, startl
ing in 1906. He is still going strong.
Probably he will make the grade in
1923 or longer and then will lead the
world in successive hitting of this kind.
What a record Cobb's is, and what a
record it may be, for the Georgia Peach.
may well carry on for ten years or
more.
None other than Dan Brouthers fol.
lows behind Wagner and Cob5-bix-
natured, pleasant-mannered, square Dan
who couldn't be captain because he was
not harsh enough and never lost his
temper except when pitcher gave him
base on balls.
"A pitcher" Dan was wont to aver.
who won't let n man make his Lit
ought TO 60 to Jail. Who wants to 60
to first on balls. Gimme my hit o. RI
me out of game fit only for al
flowers"
Yet the pitchers. deliberately wsl';rd
him for they knew if that mass Of W1p-
| pinger's Falls Drawn swung on the tai
it would be the pitchers who got cat "a
the game, not Dan.
Dan says the pitchers can't pitch s'ly
more nor the batters bat, but then he
still is living in the old days.
And after Brouthers-Billy Eamil-
ton of Kansas City. Philadelphia and
Boston, who hit for twelve years in ,ue-
cession at a 800 rate. A fat rolly-
poly bit of a man is Billy Hamilton
these days, with arms and legs no long
er than half-eaten stick of Christmas
candy. but how he could make those
legs fly when he pedsled down TO first.
He began his 800 career in 1889 and
went through 1900 before he was stop
ped. Fans used to go to see Billy
play because he always looked as If be
were going TO miss a fly, but he
didn't.
Lajoie Had an Interval.
Then comes Larry Lajoie. he staro7
ed in 1896 and went right through uu-
til 1906. After that he struck twoS
year interval when he hit below 5000
II -. ~
until 1913. Lajoie could no more help
batting 300 than a boy can help be-
ing fond of maple sugar. Tied with the
big Frenchman is Joe Kelly with eleverH
seasons to his credit. The odd thing
about Kelley is that so few remember
what a great player he was. Pers
haps that was because he was easy go1
ing, like Keller. 1t seems to be ths
Snarlers and pepper pots who leave thc
more lasting impressions.
There are three in the list who maind
tanned a 300 average for ten years and
one of them is still alive. Iris Speaker
began to hit 800 in 1909 and he wene
through 1918 without a skip. Then he
jumped a year and came back witH
three more years in succession. Hugh
Duffy who managed the Boston Ameri
cans in 1922, began his 800 career
IN 1850 anu st"Ppeu III A'oS- -
Burkett who has been a sort OF Man
Friday for the Giants for the last two
years. batted 800 from 1898 to 1902
inclusive.
Ed Delehanty was in the twelve years
in succession class, but Ed has passed
on. Arson had record of fifteen sued
cesSiye years. but he is making home%
runs on the happy hunting grounds
now.
Keller completed the list, for Joe
Jackson of the BLACK Sox,- who hit
800 for eleven years. has had his
achievements wiped from the baseball
record books.