The Washington times., 1931-04-29
BOASTS
OF.GETT|
HOME SAFE
BY BABE" RUTH

BY BABE" RUTH
NEW YORK, April 29.--Aftel
a fellow has scored a great many
runs, or made a great many hits
or played a lot of ball games
they all seem pretty much the
same to him He does not re
member each one of them.
guess that is true Of all ball
players and also true in other
lines of work or play. Now and
then 1 meet somebody who re,
calls a home run I hit off George
Dauss in Detroit several years
ago, or one hit off Eddie Rom
mel six or seven years ago in
Philadelphia, or one 1 hit Some
where else.
The particular games, for some
reason or other, stand out in the
memory of this fan. but to
me most of the home runs do
not come back to mind so clearly
1 recall certain homerS, it is true,
but a good many more have been
forgotten.
Will Never Forget
mention the things that a
player forgets and the things that
stand out in his memory because
1 am quite likely to remember a
run I scored the other day. even
if I live to be a hundred. It was
just an ordinary run, no homer
at all, but am sure I will never
| forget it.
1t was up in Boston in that
opening game of the season
against the Red Sox. was
telling Joe Mccarthy when he
came to see me the next day in
the hospital that it was prob
ably the toughest run 1 ever
scored, and / have crossed the
plate more than 100 times
since I played my first major
league game. Every base but one
was tough, and the run finally
landed me in the hospital.
Durham was pitching for the
Red Sox and Lyn Larry had op-
ened the sixth inning with a
double to left-center. swung
at fast ball on the outside and
hit it into left field between Russ
Scarritt and the foul line. There
is a bank in left field at Fenway
Park which slows up hits, so !
couldn't loaf step of the way
If I wanted to get more than
one base on it.
Got the Decision
So 1 tore down the base line
to first and swinging around Just
as fast as I could I raced to.
ward second and saw Scarritt's
throw buzzing toward Rhyme,
who was covering the bag.
had to slide and it was a close
play, but I got the decision.
Another half step and 1 would
have been out. I had to swing
away from the bag to escape be-
ing tagged and I finished up the
slide in a half upright position,
resting on one knee.
Then Lou Gehrig hit down
between third and short where
Pickering made clean stop
and a stab at me, as 1 ran
toward third. l had to wiggle
away to pass him but not
enough to run out of the line.
He threw to first after went
by him and then, with clear
sailing ahead, 1 stepped into a
little rut that somebody's spike
had torn in the turf and my
left ankle turned. 1t was pain
full but one of those things
that you can shake off in a
minute or two. had to call
time but the pain wore out
soon and I was able to keep on
playing.
Then Tony Lazzeri hit a fly
to Earl Webb in right field and
I figured I could score. So
raced in and as Charley Berry
stood over the plate waiting for
the ball crashed into him and
went spinning over to the other
side of the plate. My left leg hit
his lift hip and it didn't hurt
much at the time. But before
the inning was over I tried to
chase a ball that Tom Oliver hit
to life field and I went down in
a heap. Then the hospital and
the layoff.
But I scored the run and I'll
say right here that it was the
toughest run I ever carried
around the bases. All I needed
was a fall when rounding first
base to make it spell trouble at
every corner. Maybe it would
have been a good break for me
if I had fallen or if the ball had
been where Scarritt could catch
it. then I would not have run
into all that trouble.
SO I guess, 1 won't have any
difficulty remembering that par.
ticular run. If some fan should
come up to me 20 years from
now and mention that he saw
me take that tumble at the plate
I think 1 will be able to tell him
all about it from the time l
swung at that wide pitch until
they let me leave the hospital.
It is just one more run in the
record books, but it is one I
won't forget.
Copyright 1881, by the Chrsty
Walsh Syndicate)
~ MADK nj