Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-16

~ ABE HERMAN of the Brooklyn
- team batted a home run the
other day that carried like
IL swallow soaring over barn. He
hit it with one hand. The par
ticular umpire who happened to be back
of the plate that afternoon said Her
man hit the ball with one hand and
other National League umpires who
have been back of the plate when Her
man bats say he often hits the ball with
one hand.
OF course, he doesn't actually stand
at the plate and hold the bat with one
hand and do all his preliminary swing
ing with one hand, and all OF that, out
when he takes cut at the pail ne
swings with such force and in such
manner that only his guiding hand
holds the bat when it comes in contact
with the ball. The other hand has
flown loose and is describing fierce
circle with the mad force that Herman
puts into the effort.
Observe His Work Closely.
National League umpires have bet
ter chance to observe him than any
body else except rival catchers, and the
latter do not get all Of the opportunity
that is offered to the uInpires. The UNI
pires see him hit in every city in the
National League. They declare that
while Babe Ruth may be the home run
champion, as far as quantity OF home
runs is concerned, Herman has him
beaten in every way as one-hand
home run champion.
They think that Herman can bat the
ball farther with this one-hand swing
that he uses than any other player in
base ball. 1t is their belief that he can
hit nearly as far with his off one-hand
swing as Ruth with his golf grip and
overshoulder swing, using both hands.
Batting in the manner that he does,
the unpires of the National League ere
also positive that he has had no equal.
They admit that one hand often flies
loose when batter is taking swing
at the ball, but Herman does it repeat
edly and he makes some of his hardest
hits when he does it, as he made
punch over the wall of the Brooklyn
ground that sends the ball far into the
region of lawns and flower beds belong
ing to nearby residents.
Herman aSpireS to win the batting
championship of the National League
this year and is leading at present. His
rivals are Terry of New York, O'Doul of
Philadelphia, Hornsby of Chicago and
perhaps Klein of Philadelphia.
The most to be dreaded of his rivals
to hit right down to the last game with
the steady assurance Of steam ham
nler.
Klein No Flash in Pan.
Klein is not to be underestimate. He
has risen steadily since the beginning Of
the season and more and more is con-
vertlng himself into a dangerous batter,
because when he first joined the Ma
tlonal League he was not so dangerous
as he was powerful. Now he is a dan
gerous young man with the stick. He
has overcome some of his faults and is
becoming convinced that the pitchers of
the National League are not such great
shakes after all. He could hammer the
pitchers of the minor league in which
he played until the ball was like a
sponge, and he is beginning to turn
his attention to the pitchers of the
National League with the same intent.
Klein has made more runs than Her
man and is apt to do SO because Her
man is bad base runner and not a
star outfelder by eny means. If he
were he would be the greatest player of
the National League this year.