Word: babe
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1950-1959
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
This will not be a new experience for Botsford, for as a sophomore he had to step into the tailback position left vacant by the great Dick Clasby. If Botsford can come through, a great deal of Jordan's problems may be solved. But if he can't, Babe Simourian, the very fast and agile senior will be given the opportunity...
...week's end the Oklahoma Kid had 117 out of 154 games behind him; 42 homers were already in the book (10 righthanded, 32 lefthanded). He was eight games ahead of the Babe's 1927 pace. But ahead of him was the Babe's whirlwind finish. In his big year Ruth hit 17 home runs in September alone (four in the last three games...
...delight of the scorekeeper-historians, their figures are already the foundation for endless argument. "The Babe got a break," says the man in the stands. "The opposition had to pitch to him. Gehrig was always on deck." The long-memoried fellow alongside demurs: "Look at the record. They walked the Babe 138 times in '27. He had only 540 at bats. Mantle has 413 with a fourth of the season left. And what about Berra? Do pitchers pass the Mick...
...Babe's detractor has a memory too. "Weren't the rules on Ruth's side then? There were no ground-rule doubles. Some of his homers actually bounced into the stands. Counting them that way, Mantle might have broken the record already." The sentimentalist has a ready answer: "The fences are shorter now, which makes things more than even. And what about the rabbit ball...
...fails. And even if the 60-homer mark is passed, Ruth will reign supreme. His name still fills the record books. For all his switch-hitting talents, Mickey will never pitch 29⅔ consecutive scoreless innings in World Series play. He will have a tough time even approaching the Babe's lifetime total of 714 homers. It will be many a long summer before he bats in 2,209 runs. As long as he remains a Yankee, Mantle will be playing his home games in the House That Ruth Built...