The Washington times., 1939-01-14

formal estimate of him as this
He has an all-time total Of 70S
home runs and 723 homers, add
ing those he hit in World Series.
He holds the record for the most
home runs hit in one season,
namely, so, scored in 1927 in a
season of ISL league games. He
likewise holds the worlds record
for the total number of bases
on balls during a playing career,
2,036, an indication of what the
opposing pitchers thought of
him. For IL years he led his
American League in home runs
hit. and for II years hit 40 or
more out of the park each sea-
son.
Every move that Ruth made
brought some kind of answering
sound from the crowd in the
stands. Each swung strike left
a trail of laughter, but backed
by chorus of respectful and
aWed "Oooooooohs" as the audi
ence realized the power that had
gone to waste and the narrow
escape the pitcher had had.
Homer His ReUenge
We apply the titles of kings
and queens to our successful ath-
letes as expressions of a belief
in their fortunate birth,
anointed and under a lucky
star. Thus Ruth was always and
always will be the King of Swat.
For among the other blessings
with which he was apparently
ShoWered when he entered this
world was the gift of being able
to deliver where there was some
thing important at stake, when
it meant the most, when the
greatest number of eyes were
upon him.
remember with most pleas
ure the last World Series in
which Ruth played, back in
1882, and which involved the
New York Yankees and Chicago
Cubs. The game took place in
Chicago and Root was pitching
for the Western team, The Cubs
were giving Ruth an unmerci-
full riding down on the field and
the Sallies were deliberately vi
ciouS and foul. He had already
hit one home run and when he
came to bat in the latter part
of the game the entire Cub
bench began to abuse him.
Root put over the first pitch
and Ruth swung at it and
missed. There was a great roar
of delight from the partisan
crowd. Ruth held up one finger
so that everyone could see it.
He was indicating that that was
just one strike. The crowd
hooted him. Root pitched again
and Ruth missed for the second
time and the park rocked with
laughter. The Babe held up two
fingers The crowd razzed him
and there was nothing good
natured about it, because his
magnificent effrontery was now
goading them badly.
Two balls, wide pitches, inter-
vened. And at this point Ruth
made the most marvellous and
lmpudent gesture I have ever
seen. With his forefinger ex-
tended, he pointed to the flag
pole in center field. There was
no mistaking his meaning. He
was advising crowd, pitcher and
Jeering Cubs that that was the
exact spot where Roots next
pitch would leave the park.
The lncenSed crowd gave forth
a long-drawn-out and lusty
"Booooooo!" Ruth made them
choke on it by slugging the ball
out of the premises at exactly
that point for his second home
run of the day, and probably the
only home run in the entire his.
tory of baseball that was ever
called in advance, as to both
time and place.
Ruth could do those things
take those chances and get
away with them, because he was
The Babe and because his i'm
agination told him that it was
a fine, heroic and Ruthian
thing to do. suppose in so or
so years, the legend will be that
Ruth could call his shots any
time.
But once is sufficient for me
and I saw him do that.
cTomorrow's article in the
Sunday Herald-Timej will be de-
voted to Helen Wills MoOdv)