The Sluggers

The memory of Babe Ruth's great 1927 hitting spree of 60 home runs has haunted every major league season since then.

Last week three National Leaguers--two oldsters and a comparative rookie--were hitting in a way that made amateur statisticians wonder how close they would come to Ruth's record.* Brooklyn's reliable Duke Snider, batting .315, blasted out three homers last week to keep himself on top with 38, just two ahead of Cincinnati First Baseman Ted Kluszewski, last year's home-run king.

But the most remarkable performance was put on by Newcomer Ernie Banks, the Chicago Cubs' young (24), Dallas-bred Negro shortstop, who in his second major-league season was running neck and neck with his elders. The record so far: a .296 average, 89 runs batted in, 37 home runs. At Chicago's Wrigley Field, gangling (6 ft.1 in.) Righthander Ernie Banks drilled out six homers last week alone.

Brought up from the Negro League's Kansas City Monarchs, Ernie hit .275 (including 19 homers) as a rookie last year, batted in 79 runs. Weighing only 170 Ibs., he depends on timing and strong wrist action to lift the ball. Said Cub Manager Stan Hack last week: "That boy's got no nerves. He's a real quiet, modest guy. After he hits a homer, he comes back to the dugout as if he done something wrong."

* The Babe's overall major league record: 714 homers, including 40 or more a year for eleven years, a batting average of better than .370 for six years, topped by his .393 in 1923.

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