The Washington times., 1937-08-03
D|MACG|O NEEDS
80 HOMERS TO
TOP RUTH'S MARK
Continued from LIST Sport Page.)

wi uVAN ~ VuFHUN
Continued from LIST Sport Page.)
Griffs as his baseball cousins"
in his terrific drive.
"Joltin' Joe hit five homers
off st. Louis pitchers in June
Jack Knott gave up two, and
Julio Bonetti, the rookie, vainly
watched three of Di Maggio's
June homers sail over the fences
Bonetti was the victim Of Joe's
thirty-first homer on last Sunday
Knott also has been hit four
times for home runs.
shin gton pitchers were
clipped for five Di Maggie home
runs in July. Carl Fischer, now
with Baltimore, was hit twice;
Yves Terrell, Monte Weaver and
Eddie Linke each once. Ted
Lyons, of the White sox, is some
thing of cousin to Di Maggie.
having been clouted for three
uOL1crS G11lS SSdSOu'
This smashing performance by
DiMaggio comes as something vi
a shock to the old guard, which
tearfully chimed the knell Of great
hitters when Ruth finally hung
up his glove and shoes and retired
to the life Of itinerant golfer.
As to Color
The old guard Wagged its collec.
tive head and said quite positively
that there'd never be another guy
like Ruth. And just so far IS
color is concerned; just so far as
a reckless disregard for health,
training rules and general conSe.
quences are concerned, they may
never be another guy like Ruth.
Certainly, DiMaggio goes in for
none of the antics of the BAN
bino. He has no publicized
'tummy aches He doesn't miss
trains, and he avoids public wrest-
ling exhibitions, especially at train
time on training trips. He takes
his hitting as a matter of course,
and is not at all SURPRISED when he
rides one out Of the lot on full
swing.
DiMaggio is quiet. reserved, but
always approachable and thor
oughly unspoiled. He'll tell you
that it is easier to play ball for two
hours in the sunshine, than to
fish for crabs in the treacherons
tides of the Golden Gate in all
sorts of weather.
In nothing but results Is Di
Maggie comparable to Ruth. His
holdout siege last spring was con-
Quoted quietly, but with real de-
termination. Joe kept his own
counsel but listened attentively to
the sincere advice of a trusted
friend on the Pacific Coast. He
placed a value on his services, and
stood fast until he got what he
wanted.
Hailed Success
At the plate there is no resem-
blance. When you saw Ruth take
his famous hop, step and jump
toward the pitcher. who found
yourself suppressing a cry OF
COCOON, gosh!" Or maybe you
didn't suppress the cry. Maybe
you let it go with the rest of the
believing mob that hailed Ruth
success or laughed at his failure.
IT. has been said many times that
Ruth looked better striking out
than a lot of men looked hitting
home runs.
DiMaggio takes no exaggerated
lunges. He stands flot-footed,
takes an easy stride, and simply
poles the ball out of the lot or
rifles it through the infield at a
speed no fielder can handle. But
somehow, unless you love to take
a ball players style apart and re-
construct it, DiMaggio inspires lit
tie wonder. You must admire the
easy rhythm that distinguishes
him from the field. Maybe that's
the secret. He is so easy that he
fools all but the keenest observers.
"WhO was the greatest ball
pIayer?" asked Joe Mccarthy.
"WhO was greater than Di-
MaggiO?" cOuntered the master
of the Yankees.
And somehow or other, no name
occurred at the moment.