San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-21
This Is Conclusion Which
Must Be Reached in
New York City.
HOMER; STANDS EMPTY
They Go Home After
They've Seen the Bam-
bino Circle the Bases.
Ry John R. FOSTER

DOWNRIGHT, by The san Antonio Light
New York, April 21.-An unofficial
involuntary expression OF opinion as TO
why baseball fans of New York are
fans, including a percentage estimated
at not less than 50 of the whole, has
been rendered a manner so conclusive
that il is not TO be questioned.
They are fans because Babe Ruth
knocks home-runs.
The billowing of the multitude on
opening day at the new field gave a
line at to what is happening. The
good game of baseball which has been
faithfully accepted by the oldtimerS ms
the national paStime, may have its
interest for the old guard as a champ
iOnship competition. but the cake
eaters. fappers. trailers and sensa-
tion-craving kids see only Ruth and
h0me-runs.
He started auspiciously and the
East Side started with him. After he
had made his home-run on the open
ing dag the bleachers began 10
cmpty at once. Bubbling over with
excitement. the frenzied crowd started
to stream to the subway to get home
as quickly as possible TO tell Delaney
street about il.
Examined the Spot.
The next day he hit the ball to-
ward left field and made three bases.
After the game they went forth to
examine the spot where the ball
struck TO figure whether it would
have been a home-run on the Polo
Grounds.
That's the tipoff of baseball in the
big city. It's great compliment to
Ruth. but very disconcerting TO the
old boys who are for the game first
and the big blow afterward.
When the season is finished they
have one column in the averages Civ
ing the home-runs that Ruth has
made and another estimating the home
runs that he would have made If he
had hit the ball on he Polo Grounds.
What is the difference between the
Yank field and the Polo Grounds field
so far as this homc-run matter is
concerned?
It's partly this. Distance is about
the same down the right field foul
line. The Polo Grounds right field
foul line runs into the big concrete
stand. through it and out at the other
side. which is outside Of the ground
1t also climbs through the upper tier
When a ball was batted at a certain
point within the foul line it either
fell in the lower stand. the upper
stand, or went over the roof like you
! knock the bnll over the barn in barn.
yard ball.
How the Stands Compare.
At the Yankee field there is no up.
per stand. The right field stand is
simply common wooden bleacheI
stand like any wooden bleacher stand
It has a low barrier in front of it
A hit can't quite bound over the bar
rier unless il takes tremendou,
hop-skip-and-jump. A hit can dror
into it with ease. Given a wind blow.
ing nor nor'east and any wicked
smash is likely to drop in it. There
is no roof over which the ball may
be hit.
The stand extends down the field
as il does at the Polo Grounds IL
a straight line. but the general grOunt
| conditions are better for home-run,
into the right field coop of the Yankees
than into that of the Giants.
If the Babe. the reformed. chcrub
faced Babe. ever is TO beat his home
run record of 80 this should be hi,
year.