Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-08-17
WITH BATTING AVERAGES GOING
Up CUBS SEE PENNANT IN SIGHT


| CHICAGO, Aug. 16 (R-Chicago's
| Cubs are as good as "in," Manager
Joe Mccarthy declares, because their
hitting is on the upgrade after hover
ing around the .27O mark as team
average all season. For most of the
season, the Cubs have led the league
in fielding accuracy, but today they
are still 20 points below the Pirates in
hitting.
Seven of the Cubs are among the 46
hitterS in the 300 class of the Ma
tional league but only one has been
able to break into the first ten leaders,
Riggs Stephenson. The Pirates have
eight batters in the 800 division and
for many weeks three of the Pitts
burghers have been grouped at the
very top.
lToday these three Pirates, Paul
Waner, Joe Harris and Clyde Barn
hart, are farther in front than ever
with the field, led by frankie Frisch,
from 13 to so points below them.
Brother, Lloyd Waner, also holds his
own iii the first ten, ranking ninth in
averages compiled today, including
Wednesdays games.
Frisch slumped 13 points after his
challenge last week to break up the
Pirate trio the rest of the first ten
skidded with him, while Paul Waner
led his mates into higher ground.
FriSch also failed to add any stolen
bases but his mark of 81 is still nine
oetter than Hendrick of Brooklyn, the
runner up.
Two victories this week for Larry
Benton of the Giants have put him
at the top among the National league
pitchers, with ten victories to three
defeats. The two Pirates, Meadows
and Fill, who held the lead SO long,
are now second and fourth. Jess
Haines of the Cardinals is third, but
Charlie Root of the Cubs leads Haines
by three victories, Root added his 10Th
and 20th this geek.
Leading Ma onal league hitters are:
P. Waner, Pittsburgh, .391; Harris,
Pittsburgh, .379; Barnhart, Pittsburgh,
366; Frisch, st. Louis, 1853; Harper,
New York, $50; Stephenson, Chicago,
345; Hornsby, New York, .344; Hafey,
st. Louis, 341; L. Waner, Pittsburgh,
.334; Hendrick, Brooklyn, 1882.
Every other year seems to be "it"
for Harry Heilmann of the Detroit
Tigers, as he won the American league
batting championship in 1921, '23 and
'25, and is making determined bid
for the top right now. Only Al Sim
mons of the Athletics and Lou ehrig
of the Yankees rank higher today than
Heilmann, but Gehrig has shown no
signs of weakening. Simmons has
been on the bench for the last two
weeks.
Heilmann is 81 points behind Sim
mons in averages compiled including
Wednesdays games, but he has gain
ed more than that in the past month
If steady climbing. Most of the others
among the first ten batters of the
American league shed a few percent
age points this week while Harry was
making a gain of seven. Ruth and
Speaker slipped the most, except Bing
Miller of the Browns who dropped
clear out of the ten leaders for the
first time in many months.
Miller joined Ken Williams and
George Sisler, his teammates, just on
the fringe of the front row. Sisler
added two more stolen bases making
%, while Johnny Neun, Detroit's first
sacker, passed Tavener of the Tigers
for runner up with 10.
The home run duel still swings in
favor of Gehrig. Lou had 38 We'd
nesday to 36 for Ruth, but in the
total of extra base hits Lou stands out
like light house. He has 81 two
baggers and IL triples, far ahead of the
Babe in each class.
Pipgras, now apparently back with
the Yankees to stay, has much the
best mark of the American league
hurlers, six wins and but one loss,
though the honors among the regu-
lars should go to Waite Hoyt of the
Yanks Hoyt has 10 victories and four
defeats and only Ted Lyons of the
White Sox exceeds his total of wins.
Ted has 18 victories and is still the
hardest working twirler in either
major league, having worked the
equivalent of 25 games with nearly
eight weeks of the season yet to go.
Leading American league batters
Simmons, Philadelphia, 1894; Gehrig
New York, 1884, Heilmann, Detroit
.373; Schang, st. Louis, .372; Ruth
New York, 1854; Speaker, Washington
1854; Fothergill, Detroit, 1852; Meusel
New York, 1852; Dykes, Philadelphia
346; Combs, New York, .344.