The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-04-09
Baker Acquired Home Run Tag
When Feat Meant Something;
Could Hit Ball as Far as Any
Fifth of a series
BY HARRY GRAYSON
NEA Sports Editor

MA opoTts EultOT
John Franklin Baker, most
famous member of the Philadel-
phia Athletics old 100000 in
field, acquired the dramatic APP
pellation, Home Run, when a
circuit clout was an artistic ac-
complishment-a rarity.
Home Run Baker belted IL for
the circuit in his best year, 1913,
manufactured 90 in 13 years in
the American League, but not
so-lively ball was doctored then,
stands had no. encroached on
playing fields to shorten foul
lines and batters did not use the
handle grip and swing.
Baker, always a dirt farmer
on Marylands eastern shore. is
in no sense professional old
timer.
But" he adds, I'D like to see
them swing against the Spitters,
sinners and emery balls at
which we used to look. About
the worst of all was the dark
ball. Following a couple of trips
around the inficd, smacked into
gloves floating in tobacco juice.
a new ball would be as black as
a black hat
"Such a ball, thrown by a
pitcher like Walter johnson. was
about as easy to see as Negro
boy in a watermelon patch in the
dark.
Dozens of balls I hit every
season landed within a few
inches Of the top Of a barrier. A
little of that rabbit and they
probably would have gone
over"
BOWED LEGS
OF WAGNER
Baker, dark skinned and dour
left-hand batter standing 5 feet
IL and weighing l73 pounds. had
the bowed legs of Hans Wagner
and walked like soft-shcll
crab. He appeared so awkward
at third base that such a sharp
eyed baseball man as Jack Dunn
of Baltimore once let him go.
Connie Mack found Baker
with Reading of the old Tri State
League in 1908. and quickly OBJ
served things in the boy passed
up by scouts. Mack grasped the
idea that Baker was a daring
fielder who wasn't afraid of
making an error in going far out
of his way to make a play. The
boy who was to become immor-
tai as Home Run threw quickly
and accurately with tremendous
speed, and could hit the ball as
far as anybody.
Despite his ungain1iness and
lack of grace. Baker was a SUI
jerlative base-runner. He stole
40 bases in -, SO in II, 33
in 'l3.
He batter 1874 in II, BAT in
10, 1886 in 10, had a lifetime
average of 1903.
Baker wasn't afraid of any
body, created a riot in 10 by 60
ing after Ty Cobb when spiked.
Baker was in six World Series
-four with the Athletics and
two with the Yankees-but it
was home runs on successive
days in the one of IL which gave
him his nickname and everlaSt-
ing fame.
Matchless, stylish Christy Ma
thewson had shut out the Ath-
letics for the Giants three times
six years before, and picked up
where he left off in the opener
at the Polo Grounds in IL. The
clubs moved TO Shibe Park and,
with RUDE Marquard opposing
Eddie Plank, the score was IL
when Eddie Collins walked in
the sixth. Baker hit the ball over
the right field fence to win.
BAKER DISCOVERS FOXX
In the third game at the Polo
Grounds the following day, the
Giants scored in the third, and
Matty BANKED the Athletics for
eight rounds. He had two out
and two strikes on Baker in the
ninth. Boom! Hhe ball landed in
the upper tier in right field.
MARBLES ToURkAk
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