The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-03-10

Fery good and hits were few. IL
seven hits that afternoon ana ms
he game for Boston. But pap
gathered for himself was tWo-D'
Our next meeting was several y
beat me again. This time, WASH
inning and Babe shut US out Tor
inf four hits and got 3 screening
Tn fniIr consecutive games against
=. fhaf wear. he had held Wasning-
- y, one run in forty innings ana
Ifi1l he complained As I passed
him going to the dugout he said:
IF = could only sock that ball
lffle harder I'd leave the pitching
business to Swedes like you. Babe
iwavs crayed to be q homerun
hitter. and he struck his stride
long In 1918. The following year
4. broke the major league home
nm record. And then there was no
- irving to keep his mind on
itching although 1t is known BY
II hall players that Babe thinks
more Of his pitching feats than he
oes Of his batting records. No one
yer hears him brag about being
a,le TO knock a certain pitcher out
the box, but he often refers to
ONE close game he won Tor the
Red Sox. And to this day before
lame you can see him warming
IL with a catcher or pitching to
be Yankee players during batting
practice.
One or my last pitching victories
ever Ruth was in the summer Of
1918 when nosed him out In .
+ fen-innfng game by the score OF
TO 3. Babes sIugging WAS get
ting 50 good that Ed Barrow, then
manager OF the Red SOx, had the
big southpaW batting in the clean
up position. even when he pitched.
And to show what q hard boy he
was to beat. here's what he gath
|sfed that particular afternoon-a
triple. three doubles, and single
IT, five times at bat. And then, after
starting the tenth inning with a
Gafe hit. he was caught trying to
steal second base. No matter where
Bon find Ruth. in the pitchers box,
he bat. IN the outfieId or on the
paseshess always hustling.
remember another game, that
same year, IN which we beat the
Red Sox with Ruth pitching. Babe
bit q home run which scored Bos-
TONS only two runs. and I think
he was almost as well pleased as
e he had pitched q winning game.
Again. that same year. Babe gave
1le the first real taste Of his home
run hitting, in its most damaging
.orfn.
He played in the outfield that
and for nine innings mad
BEEN in q deadlock with Carl Mays,
he pitcher withC the famous under
hand delivery Up to the sixth
inning Mays hadn't allowed a hit.
In the ninth we got three hits and
,ne run, tying the score. With two
put. man on base, and the score
lied in the tenth, up came Babe
Ruth. He hadn't made a hit all
afternoon, and in the first inning
struck out so helplessly that tl.e
Dleachers gave him q big laugh.
But in the tenth inning he swung
II the first ball pitched and it
anded somewhere. in a yard across
he street from the ball park. Suc51
.hings as that soon made Babe
Ruth famous name and a terror
% all pitchers. He never got as
many base hits as Ty Cobb, but
vhen he connects he often ruins
pitcher on the batted ball.
Ruth has always been a grace
ful batter. That's why the fans
enjoy seeing him strike out.
Apart from the satisfaction it
gives his rivals, Ruth, I'm striIS-
ing out, presents q picture Of
great power and graceful motion.
And, Of course, il is well known
mat al sluggers, and Ruth in
particular, strike out often.
When he was with Boston,
used to give him a fast ball, inside
and around his hands. He solved
The fast ball in later seasons and
Tor while slow balls became his
weak spot. But today, any Ameri-
ran League pitcher will tell you
that Ruth has very little weakness
n the batter's box. The main thing
Df course is to try and feed him
pad balls and in doing that a pitch
Dr Is often accused OF trying to
pass him intentionally.
remember one time I told my
catcher to watch out for three
last, high balls in succession. When
Babe came to bat ] followed the
plan and he swung and missed each
ball. Each one being over his head,
The next time he came to bat. he
expected the same thing but instead.
] put three across the center of the
plate. He stood almost motionless
I'd took three strikes without a
swing. But you can't do that any
more on Babe.
Ruth's eye and timing, has i'm
proved wonderfully and that's why
low balls don't effect him any more.
] imagine his worst exhibition was
In the 1928 world series, when he
went TO bat with three men on
base Ryan was pitching and Nc
Graw told the catcher to call for
three balls in the dirt. The balls
actually hit the dirt. near home.
m&mfn and 1xAS DaN~. e.