Evening star., 1931-12-15

Il = IlhQC d llOSh Vi Gil OlS, UuI
r. he certainly helped the Ma
i i tionals to a bunch of vic
tories. We're speaking of
Joe Cronin, the Washington ball
clubs shortstop. Many a time in
the past season the fans in Grif-
fifth Stadium jeered him when the
ball trickled by, but he surely
knocked those runs across.
For" the second season in sue
cession Cronin was the National
to drive the most tallies over the
counting block. He sent over in
the 1881 campaign 1875 scores, to
be the fifth in the American
League in this respect, according
, to the official statistics.
The only batters in the circuit to
excel the Washington star in the busi-
ness Of sending runs across the plate
were Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth of
the Yankees, Earl Averill of the In
dians and Al Simmons of the world
champion Athletics. Quite a company
for the Washington player to be as
sociated with!
Cronin Leads in Walks.
Cronin also led the Nationals in two
other respects, the business of getting
the greatest number of bases on balls
and also at striking out. He took
passes from the pitchers on 81 oc-
casionS and swung without success So
times
Sam Rice as usual was a tough Gus
toner for the pitchers OF the enemy.
In 100 games the veteran struck out
but IL times. And that was something
the past season. with the pitchers hav-
ing such excellent control of the raised
seam base ball However, Heinie
Manush did not find the pitchers hav-
ing this control, for he was pinked
oftener than any other National. Heinie
was smacked by pitched balls no less
than six times.
That new American League ball,
though, surely cut down the batting.
Only IL players batted 100 or more
runs in the past season as compared
with IS in the 1880 campaign. Only
eight Of the names that appeared on
the 1880 honor roll are found in the
current list.
Exceptional Achievements.
According to the Official statement
prepared by American League head
quarters the following were exceptional
achievements:
Gehrig, who led last season, estab-
lished new American League record
of 1874, thereby topping the former mark
of ITS made by himself in 1927. Gehrig
has driven in 100 or more runs six con-
secutive years, and during the last five
seasons he has been first three times
and tied once.
Ruth was second with 1853 runs driven
in, this being the tenth season he has
sent 100 or more teammates over the
plate. Ruth also received 1913 bases on
balls, the tenth year he has been the
recipient Of 100 or more free tickets to
first. BY striking out but ST. times the
Babe set a new low mark for himself
in his perennial battle with the pitchers,
Chapman and Vosmik, two husky
youngsters, accounted for 122 and lit
runs, respectively, while Earl Webb
shunted 103 of the light-hitting Red
Sox over the plate while establishing
his new two-base hit record. Lynford
Larry Is the fourth newcomer Larry ac-
counted for LOT runs and worked the
pitchers for 88 bases on balls.
Ruth led in bases on balls with 1913,
while Blue accepted 1877 The only
other players honored by the pitchers
with more than 100 tickets were Gehrig
with lit and Max Bishop with 1l2.
New York set a new world record by
seceivlng TAB bases on balls, the pre-
viouS high being 6Sl by Detroit in 1o15
April is in a nine-inning game Henry
johnson and Roy Sherid of New York
struck out is Boston players.