The Washington times., 1929-01-28
PRACTICES
MUCH THIS
WINTER

Ad Iiska, the Minneapolis
right handler, who won 70
rarnes while he was losing four
for the MiIiers has been work
ing overtime this winter in his
back yard trying to perfect
an underhand curve, feature
lacking III his otherwise SPLEEN
did repertoire Of pitching
stuff which the American As
sociation product will bring
here with him.
Much depends upon Ad Llska
next season. The young rtght-
handler from the Minneapolis Mill
ers is rated higher by sharps
than steve SWetoHflc. wiao, went TO
the Pirates from the same circtht
Tor Rig sum of money.
Liska may develop into another
carl Mays. who VIII try to hold on
Il the big show this year under
John McGraw. Lisla is an under,
hand addict with much more speed
than the former Yankee hurler,
but I.iska has no curve ball accord
ing to Clark Griffith
A curve added to his other
akuff would make him star
III the American League next
ssneOn. ~ Griffith went out To
Minneapolis to see I.iska last
fan and advised him to pick Mp
an umderIsand curve this winter.
T,Iska has practIced tor months
with ~ amateur catcher and he
has reported to President Griffith
that he can bend them over quite
4 little now. Still, Liska did pretty
weil in the American Association
without a curve bail. for he won 20
games for the Millers while ne lost
only four.
Lena Elackhurne, manager Of
the white Eox, b going TO change
the batting style Of Bill ClsseN, the
s125;000 Pacific Coast shortstop.
EisSeIl aiWayh has been q Tree
aMlnser, but Blackburne thinks ne
win be 4 better hitter II no shortens
his bat and stops trying TO knock
each BAN out of the park.
s
Attempts to change the bat
ainR style of players haS not
llroved very succeasful in the
past.
The first season Bob Reeves was
with washington. "Buclxy" Harris
tried to change the collegian's style,
with the. result that he finished
With an average on .255.
Last wear Reeves fit as he liked
aild collected an average Of .S0S.
Nv, Cobb is generally given credit
fsr being the freshest busher who
ever broke into the big leagues He
is said to have IA rival In Heinie
Schuble, the Ehortstop from Houst
ton. who Is expected By Bucky
Harris to FIJI Jackie Tavener's
br0eans on the Detroit club next
spring.
gchubIe a fresh ana doesn't
care who knows Il. He has
plenty 0f nerve, too. Two years
ago, when he was - years Old,
Meinie decided 70 get nsaErled,
Playing for Danvilie at the time.
Ne brought his bride and tho palson
to the bali park and had the ceres
naony performed Just before the
game started. If nerve and con.
fidence mean anything, Schuble Will
make good il the biz show.
Babe Ruth has hit 40 home runs
since entering upon his major lea que
baseball career with the Boston Red
knu3 1taa 10 faSf al
of 1902 hits to score LAS times.
doubles 1851 and ali his triples 1O6l
exceed BY only five his number Of
home runs.
New York grandstanlds acted
AZ depOsif0ries Tor most 20 his
home Fsail8. He has hit 22o Of
them here. and only "a In Wash.
inetOm, where the rlghtfleld
fence Is far away nnd lofty.
Between these extremes Of com.
Saratiye e0se and difficulty the six
sther clubs read downward I'M the
es.der named: Philadelphia. Boston.
Detroit. ST. Louis, Chicago. and
cleveland And In Philadelphia he
has hit only a IN the last "A sea.
sons.
OF his 40 home runs, $40 have
b5en gained off right.handed pitch.
eFs and a5I Oft left.handed pitchers.
only in his bad year. 1875, did he
hit ieft,handers more frequently
than he did righthanders. and then
the count was i3 and L.
Considering his major league rec
ord bY months. Il appears that the
Babe works hest In the heat .of
July. All told he has banged out
102 homers In that month.
And the Babe has been walked
1870 times. Which Is the equIva-
les,f az almost "a miles.