The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-10-11

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Western cities give credit to
Davis for winning the title Tor the
Oktntlgee club In the most sensa-
tional race ever staged IN the west
Davis. who u one 0f the biggest
men playing baseball, Is q terror
70 pitchers. He was placed third
IN the batting order among hitters
who gaYe him q run Tor the batting
honOrg. but was the batter who
made the enemy nloundsrnen shiver
when he strode To the plate.
Al one writer sizes M Davis
there seems little doubt but That
he VIII soon BE- II major league
society, for his batting has been
steady IN the Western Association
and he win not Be judged solely
by figures on the Pacific coast,
where more than half the players
hit 800 or better.
In q parting salutation to Davis
an Okmulgee writer said:
With only mediocre pitching, as
9 general rule throughout the year,
the Okmulgee Drillers won the
Western Association championship
by the terrific hitting Of Wilbur
Davis and his fellow players. Ok.
mulgee won few games on small
scores, due 70 the brand Of pitch.
ing. Ten TO twenty runs q game
have been common. With such
sluggerg 40 Joe Bratcher, now with
Oakland; Chester Austin, stormy
Davis. sold 10 Fort Worth: BIN gteli.
bauer until this year d hoIdout Be.
cause he didn't want 20 play with
q lead-ofk man, Jimmy Deyens. who
- the hardest man TO pitch "a
that the Western Association has
ever known. and 3 crew Of HITTING
pitchers, the championship hae
dangled before the eyes Of Okrnul.
gee ell year.
Davis has sIukeed his way ia
the top Of the league this year.
with en- average Of 400. Other
batamen WHO have a, tines through.
out the season led him III the per.
cent4ge column, have never bean
a. fearful to pitchers as Wilbur.
This ID due almost entirely 70 the
tact that 70 date no pitcher has
been able 20 find his weakness.
e he has one.
In the words Il mint Mar.
manager Of The Fort Smith team.
which gave OhmuIgeo battle
for the second hall chants iOneliln:
HeN hit EN- nysl1orc sou
throw eIl. As various OnmOgin9
\ pitchers hRVe expressed ik: asAit
you can do with him s. % throw
'eIn and duck.
The has driven out fifty.two
home runs this year, slattertne the
former minor league record ana
running only three behind Clarence
Kraft Of Fort Worth, who has set
Q new minor league record with
ffty-five home runs this year.
..But that isn't ell. He has a
total Of $50 hits to his credit for
q total Of 4Sa bases. He also has
fifty-one doubles and more Of the
singles he has raped out were
literally driven through the enemy
lnfield; hits that With less power
behind them would have been
fielded. In almost every city
around the circuit he holds the
record Tor hitting the longest home
runs ever seen, this In spite OF the
fact that Stormy Davis. his team
mate, and r11nner.up ia home run
hitting, with fifty. 10 his credit has
smashed out some mighty circuit
drives.
Notwithstanding the fact that
ne has wrecked many ball games,
Wilbur il perhaps more popular
In the league than any other bali
player who ever hit his way around
the loop, In addition to his terrific
hitting Wilbur ID also q great draw
ing card for his field work. Per-
haps his weakest points are
his fielding Of batted ground balls.
But when Il comes to taking thrown
balls, infie1dera All over the league
have envied the Okmulgee infielders
for all they need to do Is throw 1t
in the general direction Of first
base and wilbur gets It. At times
he has the appearance Of q circus
contortiOnist. He stretches tC
either side and UP, with a fielding
range perhaps fifty per cent fur
ther than any other first baser1an
In the league.