St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-10-28


League batting leader most of the
second half Of the season. He en-
comtered a slump in late Sep
TENDER and a recurrence of leg in
Juries and was nosed out by Pete
Runnels, of Boston. Nevertheless,
Smittys .315 mark (169 hits and
72 runs batted i'm was his best in
the majors.
MinOSO Leads In RIBS
His teammate, the colorful and
dauntless Minoso. was also in the
contention for the batting leader
ship until he tailed off in Septem-
Der. But the Cuban outfielder one
of the American Leaguers with
300 lifetime batting average, fin
ish the year with 81 percentage,
third in the AL. Minnie was the
leader in hits C1S4) and second in
RIBS (1O5). Minoso also connected
for 20 home runs.
Clemente was an early season
pacesetter in the National League
in batting and RIBS, but slumped
during the middle stages of the
season. The Puerto Rican outfield-
er of the MI champion Pittsburgh
Pirates had a .314 batting record,
fourth highest in the league and
his best major league percentage.
His 179 hits accounted for "a RIBS
and included "a RIBS.
Wills Stars On Base Paths
Wills proved himself the premier
base stealer by swiping AZ sacks,
the highest in the MI since 1929.
The little shortstop, a late-season
star in the Los Angeles pennant
drive last year, also proved that he
is a pretty good man with the bat
He had a .295 average.
Willie Mays, considered the best
in the game, did not have a really
sensational season, but the Sar
Francisco outfielder batted .319
led the league in hits with 100
drove in 103 runs and belted rs
home runs.
Although Hank Aaron raped
out 40 home runs and drove in 12C
tallies, he slipped in batting below
300 for only the second time in hi!
major league career. The Milwau
kee Braves outfielder batted 292
Banks, Top HOmerun Hitter
Leading home run slugger in the
majors was Ernie Banks, the slen
der shortstop Of the Chicago Cubs
whose Al edged out Aaron. Bank!
was second to Aaron in RIBS witt
II, but his batting average skid
ded to 271.
frankie Robinson was another
who had a subpar season at thu
plate, but the Cincinnati outfieldeI
showed a revival in the final hal
to raise his mark to .297 He swat
ted 81 home runs and drove in SO
His teammate, Vada Pinson, wa!
still another who does not regarC
the campaign as one of his best
Pinson, after a fine 1859 season
was only a .286 hitter this year
His record included two grant
slam home runs, one Of three play
ers to accomplish this year in tn
MI.
But perhaps the worst disap
pOintment of all was suffered b,
Willie McCovey; a batting sensa
ton last year for the San Franicsc
Giants The tall first basema
couldn't get untracked this yea
and batted only 238 while bein
shunted in and out of the lineup
and even back to the minors for
spell.
Green A StandOut
One of the most promising pei
formances was credited to Lenni
Green, Washington centerfieldel
who had a lot to do with maxim
the Senators the interesting clu
it proved to be this year. Greer
installed as a regular after mid
season, batted 1884 and Shove
speed on the basepaths.
In the American League, vi
Power, versatile first basemar
batted .2S8 for the Cleveland In
dams, with 10 home runs and
RIBS; Hector Lopez, .2S4 for NeN
York Yankees, with home run
and AZ RIBS; Earl Battey, rate
the best catcher in the league 70
Washington, .27O, with Is HON
runs and so RIBS; Willie Tasby
traded by Baltimore to Boston
26S 7 home rms and 40 RRI