Evening star., 1938-12-25
Gehrig, 5hattering 8,
SetsA.L. Record
Pace for '38
Mats Better Pair Of Own
Marks With IS Homers,
n Hit by Bonuro

which was the recently discarded
1898 American League horsehide,
went out of existence in the wake
OF record-breaking furry, 1t Is dis
closed by final figures on the last
diamond campaign.
The thin-covered, tightly-stitched
ball which President Clark Grifnth
succeeded in legislating to the junk
pile played an important part In
the breaking of 80 major records by
American Leaguers, as well as 13
circuit marks. In addition, Is major
league records also were tied.
Washington players did not figure
prominently in this splurge, but
they succeeded in smashing two Of
the four club records that were
broken. First Baseman Zeke Bo-
nura, since sold to the New York
Giants, established new mark for
Nat home-run hitters when he
pounded out 20 last year and the
entire Washington club, in totaling
IS circuit clouts, thereby set a Sec
ond record.
A National also set an American
League record and it is queer twist
in that he-Leon (Goose) Goslin-
also has been released since the end
of the season. Goslin picked up
pitchers bat as pinch-hitter in
Yankee Stadium and hit a home run
to run his lifetime mark to as q
hitter of home runs while pinch
batting. This is a record that stands
for the American League.
Gehrig Top Record -Smasher.
The big record-smasher of the year
was Lou Gehrig Of the Yankees. It
wasn't big season for Lou other
wise, for he fell of in hitting, but
still he managed to break eight
marks, some of which he held him
self. Gehrig also tied another mark.
Lou ran his consecutive game
playing streak to 2,122 and for the
twelfth consecutive year he played
$50 or more games. He also led, for
the eighth straight year, in number
OF games played and for the thir-
teenth year he scored 100 runs or
more, and totaled 300 or more bases.
Gehrig also led in hitting home
runs with the bases filled, having
done it % times during his lifetime.
Not quite all of LOUIS feats were
done at bat. He broke the record
for participating in double plays,
making 157 and nosing out Jimmy
Foxx Of the Red Sox during the final
week of the season. Foxx, with 153,
also broke the old record. The rec
ord that Gehrig tied was playing
most games at first base. Lou
played 157 at the bag.
Feller Sets Whit Marks.
A fairly representative group of
players also broke individual records.
Pitchers Bob Feller OF Cleveland
and Buck Newsom of st. Louis were
among these. In addition there
were Infielders Frank Higgins, then
of Boston and now of Detroit; Hank
Greenberg. Tiger first baseman,
and Bill Rogell, another Detroiter
last year.
Feller established a new strike
out record when he famed 18. He
also broke the strikeout marks for
two or three games in succession,
getting % and 38. A less enviable
record by Feller was giving up 2O8
bases on balls for modern record.
Newsom's claims to fame were
more modest. The major league
record he broke was in allowing
earned runs, 1856. Louie, though,
tied an American League mark with
Feller when he struck out six bat
tiers in succession.
Greenberg was a lively partici-
pant. He broke major league rec
ords when he ran his tstal times
for hitting two homers In a single
game to II, and also when he hit
SO home runs in two consecutive
seasons. No right-handed hitter
had ever done this before. Green
berg tied big league mark when
he batted So home runs, two be-
meath the all-time record total
swatted in 1927 by the left-handed
Babe Ruth.
Higgins and Rogell hung up un-
usual records, when Pinky made IL
consecutive hits in as many times
at bat and Rogell drew seven sue
cessive bases on balls.
The late lamented ball partially
was responsible for many general
club and league records. The grand
total of 1854 homers was knocked
by American League players, setting
a new record. Another mark went
by the boards when IS in the league
drove out 20 or more home runs
Half a dozen hit 80 or more, tying
a major league mark and setting a
new league one.
Among the hard-to- live down
records as that of Chet Laabs,
Detroit uutfielder, who famed five
times in a nine-inning game. This
ties him with Ossie Bluege for the
league high, or low, in whif1s.