The Washington times., 1933-09-28
HURL|NG.
EXCELS IN
NATIONAL
BY BABE RUTH

about the coming world series
have noticed that the So-calleo
"lively" ball and "deader" ball al.
ways come into the discussion
>eIany believe that the Senators
will be handicapped in their hit.
ting against a deader ball during
the games at the Polo Grounds,
and they likewise claim that the
Giants should hit better in Wash
tngton, where the A M eri a n
League ball will be in play.
They may oe right in both
eases. But I have never believed
there was as great a difference in
the types of ball used by the two
major leagues as many insist.
have taken part in several games
in which both types of ball were
used. In the world series of 1882
the Yankees hit a lot harder in
Chicago than We did at the YAM
kee Stadium, and in the all-star
game at Comiskey Park last July
the greater hitting was done after
the National League ball came
into play.
National Pitching Better
7 think the pitching has been
better in the National League this
year than in the American, and
that the ball has not made so
much difference as many believe
it has. I can agree with anybody
who says that the Washington
team will run into tighter pitching
in this series than the Senators
met in any single series with any
American League team during the
year. If the Senators are held
down at the Polo Grounds I will
credit the performance to high.
class pitching, rather than the
type Of ball.
Figure it this way. The Ma
tional League ball is lively enough
to travel far enough for home
runs on any field in the league, as
the records and daily box scores
will prove. When it is properly
hit the National League ball will
carry plenty of distance.
I believe the parks will have
more of an effect on the series
than the ball itself. Washington
has the toughest field in the Amer.
ican League for hitting home runs.
In fact, I am quite sure that fewer
home runs have been hit there
than at any other major league
park this year. The Polo Grounds
stands are close enough on either
side of the field to make homers
much less difficult.
More Power Hitters
Washington, believe has more
of what we call power hitters than
the New York team has. The
Giants pitchers are likely to have
more trouble in New York then
in Washington with such hitters
as Manush, Cronin, Kuhel, Cos
lin and Myer. Dave Harris, who
may be used against southpaws, is
another of those long hitters who
will be aiming at the left field
stand, just as Cronin will. The
four others-all lefthand hitters-
will be firing at the right field
stand.
Pitchers do not have to worry
so much about the hitters when
they are pitching in Washington.
It takes a powerful drive to carry
over the high right field wall, and
the left field bleachers are far
enough back to make home runs
tnfrequent. The entire Washing
ton team has hit only Is homers
at Griffith Stadium this year, and
10 of the IS were made by Kuhel
and Goslin, who hit to the right
field side.
So 1 figure the Senators more
dangerous at the Polo Grounds
than on their own field, where
pitchers do not have to worry so
much about one bad pitch cost
ing them a defeat. A light hit
ting but strong defensive team
will get farther on big field
than on a small one, and the
stronger hitting team becomes
more difficult to handle as the
field becomes smaller.
think the occasional home
run will mean a lot in this series
because l believe the scoring will
be low. Thus a ball game may
be turned on one swing. And if
any of them are turned on one
swing that swing is more likely
to be made in New York than in
Washington.
(Copyright 1898, by The Christy
Walsh Syndtcate)