Evening star., 1925-12-04

To Bob NeuSeI. home run king Of
the American Lca@u" this wear. also
is due credit for being me circuit :
most timely SjIrkSmith. assuming
that recognition should he accorded
the athl.tv driving in the greatest
number of runs.
1t has been rontendcd that a bats
mans ability 10 produce in a pinch
cannot accurately hn Gjuged by the
total of talIies he is responsible for
In the course of Il campaign. as the
performers in the "Clean-up' positions
have a. great advantage over those APP
pearing higher or lower in the batting
order. But no player is assigned to
fourth place on the list merely be
cause he makes nattY appearance
in his uniform. and until some other
method of calculating a punCher's
prowess is devised we are content to
vote the blue ribbon for hitting eff
1icienCy to the minion who manu-
features the most markers.
IL figuring on tho propelinc end of
13S runs this year NeuSel accom-
pliShed a noteworthy feat. when his
rather auemic batting average of .292
is considered. Harry lIeilmann, the
top Tyger. who won tho league bat
ting championship. knocked in only
133 runs. despite his exalted average
of .393. more than 100 points above
that of MeuSel while Al Simmons,
maulinC monarch Of the MaCkmen.
produced but 129 tallies with his lofty
percentage OF 1856.
Fifth on the list of runs-respo
for appears the name of Earl Sheely
first baSeman of the ChlsoX. who pro
duced III markers, and with one eX-
ception is the only player other than
an outtielder to exceed the century
mark. The other iS George SiSler.
boss OF the Browns. who is tied with
his hireling, Ken Williams, at 105.
while T. Raymond Cobb, tactiCian of
the Tigers. contriveS to horn into the
picture with 102.
Yank Sets Precedent.
Sheely'S batting percentage was
.315. Williams hit .33l, Sisler got .345
and Cobb connected for .31S. which
makes it plain that Meusel was step
ping some when he cora led the crown
for timely tapping. 1t is doubtful if
any individual other than the lanky
Eank ever attained the pre-eminence
now his without benefit of an average
high up in the charmed circle of 800
hitterS.
Johnny MostiI middle gardener of
the ChiSOX. in addition to leading the
league in the number OF runs scored
and in piterinS activities on the base
lines. landed in u draw with his team
mate, Willie kamm. for obtaining the
greatest number of bases on balls,
with 80. and also contrived to get on
most frequently via the casualty
route by being winged an even dozen
times. Stan Harris drew free trans
portation 64 times. to top the Ma
tionalS, and tied with McNeely. at 9,
in the matter of being hit by pitched
ballS.
In immunity from tanning Sam Rice
stood out among the Griffmen. sue
cumbing to the wileS of the hurlers on
just ten occasions, but joey Sewell of
the Indians proved the most difficult
to whiff. being loBed only four times.
Babe Ruth. aS usual. was the easiest
meat for the fingers. striking out 6S
times IN but 9S games. as Marty Nc
ManuS Of the Browns. although vic
timiZed once oftener. took part in 154
contests. Earl MCNeely proved the
SofteSt pckin'S of all the Champions,
connecting with nothing but air on "a
occasions in l22 games. for although
OsS Bluege failed Il total Of two more
he saw service in 8 additional COM
bats.