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Show WILL ROTH SET 1 NEW HIT MARK? Poorer Ball and Stronger Pitchers Likely to Reduce Homers K BD LI EVANS What chance his Babe Ruth to ; break his home-run record In 1922 7 j Kast c.-LSon Ruth made fi9 home runs, breaking his previous mark of I 64. In 1920 Ruth made T4 home runs ! That seemed to me a most estraordlh- arv f'.it. I though! it would stand as a record for years to come. Yet th following season Ruth upset all the dope nnd predictions of the experts' by knocking the old ball for. 59 circuit drives. In 1921 RUth took part In 152 games He was at bat 540 tinrs. That moans he made one home run in every ev-ery nine times at bat, Even If Ruth wasn't under suspension suspen-sion until May 20 and was able to start the season. I don't believe ho would top his mark of 59. The big fielder insists he Is shooting at 75 home runs. THINKS IT'LL STAND. I am of the opinion that 59 home runs Is going to stand for some time. I have a number of reasons for 80 thinking. it is ;, certainty that the ball will not be so good this year. The pitching pitch-ing will be better. A number of pitchers will have recovered re-covered from the handicap placed on them when freak deliveries were ellm-Inatsd ellm-Inatsd The pitchers are going to work more carefully on Ruth. However, his greatest handicap this fr is going to be his late start. I.ist year by May 20. the date for, the raising of Ruth's suspension Babe had 12 home runs to his credit. To make up for the loss of those dozen homers is going to be some task. HI TH H s BIG T sk However, In 1 920 when Ruth set a. record of 54 home runs he got awa to a very poor start. During the' month of April he didn't pole a single home run He broke into the home j run column that year on the first of May and by the 20th had only five home runs to his credit. in addition the enforced layoff du to the suspension Isn't going to sharp-en sharp-en the Babe's batting eye. There Is nothing like hitting against real pitching pitch-ing In actual competition to strike one's stride at the plate ' I don't th nk Ruth has a chance to do any record smashing this year as far as home runs are concerned The big fellow . however. Is a superman su-perman and does the seeming Im-J possible. Ruth has one other ambition In baseball, he would like to lead tho American league In hitting. If he would make up his mind that smashing the home-run record was out of the question this year and did more bunting, mixed them' up. he would have an excellent chance to I I ,-ilizo his ambition. One thing Is certain no matter when he makes his debut. Ruth will do many a thing this summer that will make the funs talk. He's the big thrill In baseball. |