The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-28

%' GO1 3tC0 0OA
has done.
When you watch Jimmy Foxx
ct the plate, pulling away from
inside pitches, swinging his LETT
foot back from the plate instead
Of striding smoothly and fear
lessly in toward the ball, you are
inclined to doubt your own
eyes. That foot in the bucket"
style of hitting is entirely for
eign to Foxx, and there are
many baseball men who believe
that unless he regains his for
mer technique his days as q
great hitter are numbered.
Despite his fine record, last
year. Foxx batted only .285. 1t
was the second time in his major
league career that he dropped
below the 300 mark.
Boston critics noted in mid
season last year that Foxx was
pulling away at the plate. But
he has such terrific power in
his wrists that when he met the
ball, he was able to hit it a
long way. In fact, he made SO
home runs, which was one more
than Rudy York, of the Tigers,
made, and only one less than
was made by Lou Gehrig.
Possible Reason
Foxx made one hit in yes
terday's battle with the Ma
tionals. On that occasion he
strobe straight into the ball as
he used to stride in the days
when he threatened the reign
of Babe Ruth as home-run king
of the American League. The
bat met the ball with wicked
"splat," and rode it to pay dirt
in left field. Foxx walked twice,
missed a third cut at a fast ball
once, and grounded out once.
1t is recalled that Foxx was
hit on the head a few years
ago during a transforming tour.
There is a chance that he has
become a trifle ball shy as a re-
suit of his injury. It is also pos
sible that he has unconsciously
permitted himself to develop a
fault without realizing exactly
when he is doing it.
AL Simmons is the only man
who ever violated all the tenets
Of batting form and still estab-
lished himself as great hitter.
Even in those five seasons be-
tween 1927 and 1881, when SIM
mons batted 1892, .351, 1865, .381
and 800 in consecutive order,
he stuck his left foot knee-deep
in the bucket, and did everything
but fall out of the batter's box.
But Simmons is not to be COM
pared to any other hitter in the
long history of baseball.
The Only AnsUer
Foxx says that he always
stepped away slightly, even
when he, Mickey Cochrane and
Simmons made up a Murderers'
Row for the Athletics, that was
second to none in baseball. Bos-
ton men who have studied Foxx
say that if he ever decides to
forget about home runs and bat
for base hits, that he will hit
.375 or more.
"All Foxx has to do is stop
swinging, choke the bat a little,
and snap his wrists into the
ball to lead the league"
This was the statement Of one
Of the most competent baseball
men in the game.
"He can knock the ball far
ther with half a swing than any
other man I know. And when
he is chopping at the ball he is
q deadly rightfield hitter"
All you have to do is chat
with Foxx and casually examine
his hands, wrists, and forearmS.
He has terrific power in them.
Baseball critics said the same
thing of Babe Ruth when the
Yankee sultan of swat was in
his prime. Babe could stand
at the plate and rain base hits
into left field. But, when you
asked him why he never at
tempted to make an all-time
record in batting, he invariably
replied:
'"They pay to see me hit home
runs"