The Washington times., 1932-03-09
LENDS COLOR
TONAT|ONAL
PAST|ME
By BABE RUTH

81. FEIEfSbUtCld, tla., March
0.-One team which I am going
to follow very closely this year
is the Boston Braves and think
when the season is over I will
be able to say: 81 told you so"
in regard to one player. That
player is Art ShireS who is back
in the majors again after a sea-
son in Milwaukee.
I liked Shires for his breezy
way from the first time l saw
him with the Chicago White SoX
a few years ago. think a play
er of his type means more to
baseball than is shown in the
batting or fielding averages. He
has plenty of color and is an In
teresting personality. I often
wish that big league baseball had
more players of this type.
I thought when Shires was al
lowed to get away from the
American League that it was a
mistake, and I still think so. AT
the same time I realize it is not
for me to tell owners and man
ayers how to run their ball clubs.
But know plenty of people have
asked me about ShireS, having
taken particular interest in him
because of the unusual publicity
which he drew during his early
days in the big leagues.
A Natural Snowman
I have always figured Art as
a natural Snowman who fully un-
derstood the value of publicity.
Many fans have formed the con-
clusion that ShireS is all swelled
up about himself, but that IS not
true. He has plenty of confidence
in his ability, but that is not
bad sign in ball player. Show
me one who is lacking in sucn
confidence and will show you
q player who is not likely to get
very far.
Don't think, either, that Shires
isn't pretty good balplayer:
He is a natural hitter and should
be much better now than when
he was with the White SoX ana
the Senators in the American
League. He batted 1886 in 157
= games with the Milwaukee CLUB
last season and that is q lot OF
hitting in any league. DON'T
expect to see him hit that much
in the National because the pitch
ing is bound to be tougher, but
he should hit 1886 or better in his
comeback effort with the Braves.
They tell me, too. that Shtres
improved greatly in his fielding
last year. It was in this depart
.ment that he was not quite UP
to the standard when he played
first base for the White SoX, but
more experience has helped him
q lot. I was predicting to some
of our players the other day that
ShireS is going to be an all
around success with the Braves,
and that he will become very
popular with the Boston fans.
And am sure I will be able to
say at the end of the season:
, II told you So"
Reports Week Ahead
You know the Boston Braves
are training in st. Petersburg,
where we also do our spring work.
ShireS arrived at the training
camp a week before he was>sup-
posed to report and I have talked
to him a few times this spring.
I am sure there isn't player in
the majors who is more enthuSi-
aStic about baseball than Art is,
and he more than welcomed this
opportunity to prove that he be-
longs in the top set.
81 felt when they notified me
Of my release to the minors
that I was good enough to stick
in the majors" he told me the
other cay. But knew It would
do no good to cry about being
sent back. It was up to me to
prove that I was good enough,
so / settled Gown &nd hustled
all season with the idea that l
would be up again this year. /
think the records prove that /
am entitled to this new chance,
and you can bet that am 60.
ing to keen on huStl-1g to stay
up this time. am only "a
years of age, and there is no
reason why should not be able
to stick G-o-nd tn big show
for some time to come. Now
that my year in the minors is
over, 1 am satisfied that it did
me lot Of good, md in a way
am glad that / was sent back.
1t will help to keep me hustling
to stay in the majors. I guess
perhaps 1 was a little careless
when / was in the American
League"
You can see from this that
ShireS is a pretty sensible fellow
after all. They have ki.ded him
a lot about talking about himself,
but anyone who talks to him a
few minutes can see that it is
cc-.-idence, and not egotism, with
him. Just wait and see if I am
not correct in predicting that Art
will have a good season with the
Braves.
Winter Games Row