The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-04-04
NEED SOMETHING
BESIDES HITTING
Figures Show Big Punch
Doesn't Win Flag.

COOO1l w Al AS<Sos
Base hits, especially home runs, may
be as decisive as any factor in mod
ern big league baseball, but the Ma
tional league averages for 1929 reveal
conclusively that something besides
the big punch is needed to win pen
nants or even get into the first divi-
sion.
The Phillies led the circuit in hit
ting last season with the remarkable
average of 300. seven points better
than either Pittsburgh or Chicago, hut
the Phils finished no better than fifth.
Their pitching staff, or rather the
lack of it, was the answer to where
Burt ShottOn's men finished.
The pills pounded out 1913 home
runs, as compared with l4O for the
clouting Cubs. This mark was only
fiveNshort of the major league record
of 15S, set by the Yankees in 1927.
Only four pitchers in the American
league in 1929 held opposing teams
to a batting average of .26O or less.
They were George Earnshaw, Ed
ward Wells. Fred Marberr and George
(Rube) Walberg. Earnshaw held OPP
ponents to .241 and that is top mark
for the American league in 1929. Rob-
ert Moses Grove, with 1852, and George
Pipgras, of New York, and Jack Rus
sell, of Boston, each with .264, were
close by.
When you add walks to hits and
divide the total by times at bat plus
walks, you discover that the leading
pitcher in the league last year was
the giant Marberry. Thomas, of Chi
cago, ranks second; Pipgras third and
Hudlin, of Cleveland, is fourth.
Golf pants, we hear, are to be even
more stunning this season than last.
Before the summer Is done we expect
to refer several times to nOnplus tours.
Gene Tunney, an extremely cOnsci-
entious, methOdical, painstaking boxer,
admits that he has fouled opponents
and been fOuled by them. He says
that every boxer is fouled."
Practically every bout sees fouls
committed. That does not justify
claims of fouls. Few are intentional.
A real boxer accepts fouls in a
spirit of give and take, knowing that
in the hurly-buriy of battle all sorts
of accidents can make for foul blows.
Only the weak sisters seek sanctuary
behind a claim of foul except when
incapacitated.
In 1880 Navy will play both Ohio
State and Notre Dame in the West,
two games in Philadelphia and two
in Baltimore.
keep your eyes on the White Sox.
They are the dark horse of the Amer
lean league race" That is the opin-
ion of Connie Mack, while making an
interesting observation in the course
of a rambling discourse on the circuit
over which he holds sway for the first
time in fifteen years.
Don't misunderstood me-" said the
veteran of every American league
race, 81 am not picking them to fin
ish first or even second. But under
DOME Bush the White Sox are
bound TO be the most improved ball
club in our circuit. They are likely
to have lot to say before September
rolls around"
Ruth gets a larger salary although
his home runs last season were under
his record mark. They may be fixing
the wages by the waist measure.
Arrangements have been completed
for a football game to be played be-
tween the Cuban Cadet school and
the United States Military academy
freshmen at West Point, N. Y, on
Thanksgiving Day, Gen. Alberto Her
rera, chief of staff of the Cuban army,
has announced.
The contest was said to have been
suggested by Maj. Joseph O'Hare,
military attache of the United States
embassy. 1t will be the first game
between the two institutions. The
Cuban Cadet school has not had
football team, but will begin forma-
ton of squad Immediately.
John McGraw has advanced a
scheme which. If put into effect in
both major leagues. will. he thinks.
go long way toward eliminating the
annual annoyance caused by ball play
ers refusing to sign their contracts
early and failing to report for the
entire spring Eaining period.
The manager of the Giants would
extend the ball players salary over
eight months each year instead of
six. so that they would begin to earn
their pay on March l, not on the
opening day Of the championship sea
son, as now is the case.
Under the proposed McGraw
method the bimOnthiy check drawn
by each player would not he as heavy
81. ;1t, 12I