The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-07-29
By DILLON GRAHAM Shorts Editor, AP Feature Service

NEW YORK-The beanpole who leads American League batters was burning.
 That dumb scorer said Tee Williams, The gave me an errol yesterday. Didja see the game Well, a guy hits one out my way and l come in fast to trap tht ball on the bounce. The durn thing takes bad hop and kicks me ir the shoulder.
 And I get an error. Me, who never touched the ball. Am l sore That scorer, he don't know hi from lilypad.
 "Oh, he'll" he said, with
 shrug, T don't give damn
 about fielding anyway. They say
 Pm a bcnehead fielder and
 maybe they're right. But, Bud,'
 he said, aggressively, I'm
 hitter. can bust 'em."
 And Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox outfield can. He can blast a ball a country mile. He was pac- ing the league at better than 400 clip in early July.
 Ted can't explain his high aver age. Luck, I guess" he said "AW, it's not all luck, yknow, YOU gotta be swinging good. But I'm hitting the ball just like did last year, same grip, same stance same sWine- More of em are falling sale. Course, after a couple Of years in the league I know the pitchers bet ter and I guess that helps
 But, shucks, fellow can be
 hitting the ball fine and lose 20
 points in his average in a week
 or so. It's just a matter of hit
 ting 'em where they aint."
 Williams think the odds are all against his finishing the year With an average above 400: Say, Il , been IS years since an American Leaguer hit over 400 and we've had some pretty fair punchers up there during that time. I guess the odds ought to be about 25 to ] against me, mebbe 50.'
 Tall Ted led the league in runs batted in-the real payoff on hitter's value-in his first year, 1889, with 145. He said that dur ing his career hel like to be top man at least once in every depart ment of hitting His chief ambi- ton is to win triple hitting honofs batting. homers, and -batted- in-the same year
 "Rut that's sorta hard to do.
 I'm leading in batting now and
 am well up in hOmers and RBl.
 I've got chance this year."
 he said.
 Ted is hitting third in the Bos- ton batting order and he says that's a handicap in knocking in counters Its better to be hitting fourth or fifth. You've generally got more men on base. That York, he's hit ting fourth. Keller is batting fifth See, Keller's got somebody on base almost every time he comes up and he's liable to push somebody across every time he hits one.
 Hell" he said, T haven't had but one chance this year to hit with the bases loaded. That was against the White Sox and Lyons walked me. Tension? Nav, there aint no tension for me hitting in the clutch. Why should I tighten up? Jeepers, I'd like to have the bases loaded every time I came up. And, say, don't forget, there's some tension on the pitcher, too.
 Ted does look loose as a goose as the ball players say, when he's up at the dish. He's foot 3 and weighs only ITS pounds.
 Just a beanpole," he explains,
 q drink gallons of milk and
 eat like a hess but ! don't get
 any heavier"
 The 22-year-ol California young. ster wouldn't say whom he regard ed as the toughest pitcher in th' league to hit. You know why?' he asked Well, it's this way After my first year with Boston folks asked me which pitchers wer' tough and I said that Ruffine 0 the Tanks was the easiest. Say, murdered that guy all the time He was my meat. And, y'know wha happened last year9 We'll couldn't buy hit off the guy S l aint taking any more. tney p all tough when you sin't swingn