Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-01
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW By FRANCIS s7ANA
Mantle Versus the indians

THE EVIDENCE MUST NOW be considered conclusive
that Mickey Mantle has altered his batting stance not
his swing WE'LL His herocs against Cleveland pitching
prove it,
Early this season couple of Cleveland writer's
visiting the Yankee bench to talk to Casey Stenge They
asked it true that Nantes two shots the
terfeld wall in Washington opening day long
the dispatches made out.
& Longer Coach Bill Dckey said from close by.
81 don't doubt that he hits tremendous ball." of
the Tribe writer's sad "bu we've never of those
classic blows You Cleveland pitchers know how to get
him out Compared with Berra and Bauer he's compare
tive patsy" @&
pitchers Chances he was And he had statistics to
show that Mantle, indeed, had been overwhelming
against Cleveland.
He is now. The Yankees and Indians have played l6
and Mantle has hit safely in all of them for
an average approximately 1873.
WHETHER MANTLE WILL EQUAL or best Babe Ruth's
record of go home is dbatabe at this time There
RuthS streak of II home in September of 1927 to
consider although he homered consistently there
would have been need for such finishing squirt For
example in 1928 Ruth seven ahead of his 27 with
Al going into August But he hit only August and
seven in September for total of 81.
One goal not much lesser either, maybe within
the Strong Boys reach That the Triple Crown-top
average most batted most homers. This
been done only times in the American League and
Ruth missed out this Jimmy Foxx pulled the trick
in 1888, Lou Gehrg in 1884 and Ted Williams in 1912
and 1947
1t is silly. however, to rank Mantle with Ruth as a
hitter-yet The book says that going into this
Mickey only 298 hitter On the other hand he has
been up five and still is only a. He's got years
ahead of him, although another Ruhian mark he may
not achieve is hitting better than $40 393 for six
THE PURISTS HAVE WONDERED if Mantle would be
good he's been this if he not switch
hitter Nobody including Mantle could possibly have the
inasmuch Muscles has batted any other
way since he became pro- at his tender age it's
late for him to try Too long he's been facing right
handlers from the left side and vice
Would Ruth have been greater if he had been switch
hitter? This is easier to answer would No. How
could he have been since Babe appeared to harrass the
southpaws much the righthanderS? Looking his
1927 record Ruth hit 40 homers off rghhanders and 20
off efthanders but there at least twice many of
the former to face him.
An oddity in connection with Babe was that he
meaning Earl Whitehill and Rube Waberg Both seemed
to release the ball from the vicinity of first base and there
nothing soft about their stuff Not many lefthanded
hitters wanted any part of either
WHITEHILI. PARTICULARLY belonged to the school
which firmly believed that pitcher had perfect right
knock down dangerous hitter He didn't up Ruth
during his
Walberg, who may have been meaner for left
handed hitter to face yielded II home to the Babe.
1t Just happens this than Ruth hit off any one
pitcher, right or left handed
Mantle himself says that he doesn't hope top Babes
60 or even come close" Still. he might have few
today If Yogi Berra hadn't sumped so badly With Yogi
stopped giving Mantle pitches he hit preferring
walk him and take shot at Berra
But that's got to be only temporary No pitcher can
look forward to pitching to Yogi for long