Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-20
RUTH HOPES TO SET
new HOMER MARK
Mccarthy Confident Batting
viii Keep Team in Race.
Big Four in Shape.
Note: This is another Of q series Of
Associated Press stories on major league
base ball prospects.
BY ALAN GOULD,
Press Sports Editor.

ASSOClhbeQ GIchS 6pVIbS G0lSOEs
ut. PETERSBURG, Fla, March
20.-In common with most
~ of the other major league
ball clubs, the New York
Yankees are not interested in the
movement to apply the brakes to
the steamroller, power-pluS type
of games.
Marse Joe McCarthy's men are slug
ging the new ball with old-tasnloneo
Vehemence and results. Marse Joe ex-
poets them to hatten as much OF the
Opposition as possible with base hits,
while he is tinkering with the pitching
machinery to make 1t work. BABE
Ruth, down to playing weight now, Is
intent not only upon regaining the nome
run leadership he lost to Hack wilson
In 1880, but in cracking his own major
league record Of so circuit clouts.
The new ball and the new sacrlhce
Nv rule may, over the seasons SGetcn,
cut down the batting averages, put
power, Mccarthy believes, stu VIII play
a dominating part. Marse Joe, having
managed the National Leagues monarch
of maui Wilson, with good results, ex-
pects to bear down in new, surround
inas with the clouting. cast headed by
Ruth and including Gehrig, Lazzerl,
Combs, Dickey and others.
All Developing Attack.
Defensive base ball, whether 1t is
IN the box or in the field, continues
to be an important factor In the success
of any club" remarked Mccarthy, but
can you show me any club IN either
league that is not trying to get more
punch In its attack?
time still are swinging from the heels
and YOU don't see any OF these CID
timers trying to become choke-httterS.
Maybe we have had too much freak
smuggling, Maybe the ball has been too
lively for the good of the game, but
think the majority Of fans still like TO
see men like Ruth and Gehrig and VII
son give the ball long ride.
ANY one who thinks they are not
going to do it with the new ball viii
md he Is mistaken.
"Our hitters will keep US in the race
this year, just as the Athletics, much
as they depend on Grove and Earn.
shaw, will count on the decisive dam
age being done by such hitters as Sim
mons, Foxx and Cochrane."
II All Click. Zowie!
The trouble with the main cogs OF
the Yankee attack in recent seasons
has been the tendency Of one or more
to have an of-year. due to injuries or
q slump. Ruth and Combs skidded IN
1928. Lou Gehrig had bad season In
1929 and Tony LazEeri fell OF 81 points
last year to q mere .303 at bat.
If this big four can all hit the high
spots this season, the team viii have
few, If any, hitting worries. Lazzeri
has been working hard and appears in
splendid condition. Ruth's health and
spirits are perfect. Gehrig. except for
q mishap in being hit on the head with
q thrown ball. has had nothing TO In
terfere with his plans to duplicate or
even better .3T9 average for 1880.
Combs Is the old reliable.
Whether Sewell takes over third base
assignment or whether 1t goes to Lag
zeri, with Big Ben Chapman on second,
the team viii have additional punch
down the batting order. Chapman, q
steadily improving player, 10 . longer
hitter than Sewell, but not as con-
sistent. Bill Dickey contributed $40
wallop when he did the backStopping.
eff We get the pitching, and I have
every reason TO expect we viii, the
Yankees viii win lot Of ball games,
concluded Mccarthy, conservatively.