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__ , Cant Convince Powder Puff Hitters That Ball Is Livelier Many Top Regulars Rarely y Connect but Pull Swingers Pile Up Big Homer Totals j By STEVE SNIDER United Press Sports Writer ] NEW YORK, N. Y., June 13. — Some of I baseballs powder puff hitters will tell you 3 * the ball is too dead these days and not souped up with lively jackrabbit power as the critics charge. Many highly regarded regulars, including * pair who have shared three American League batting crowns, rarely belt one into ] the seats, while pull swingers like Ed Mathews of the Braves, Gus Zernial of the Athletics and Roy Campanella of the ] Dodgers are piling up their big home run j totals. i Ferris Fain of the White Sox, two-time : batting champion, hit only eight homers as he bagged the titles in 1951 and 1952. Billy Goodman of the Red Sox, batting champ in 1950, hit four homers the year he won the crown and a total of only nine for his first five years in the big show. Floyd Baker of the Red Sox, long known as a great glove man, has been kicking around the American League for 10 years, but he shouldnt have any trouble recalling a game against the Washington Senators on May 11, 1949. Floyd belted a homer off Sid Hudson that day and that was his one and only. Nellie Fox Average Nellie Fox of the White Sox, twice an All-. Star starter for the American League, has averaged one a year for five years. Pete Runnels of the Senators hasnt done that well, with only one round-tripper in his first two seasons and none in 54 games this year. Cal Abrams of tne Pirates is on a big , homer binge this year. At least, four homers in 51 games is a binge for Cal. He ; had only five while doing part-time duty for the Dodgers and Redlegs for four sea-L sons before Pittsburgh got him. Richie Ashburn of the Phillies is a mighty guy to have around but hes aver-r . aging only two homers per year for his six seasons up. Flashy Chico Carrasquel of the White Sox was no slugger even in the Minors, ! where his top home run production was six. Now in his fourth season as shortstop ! at Chicago, Chico is averaging just a shade over two per year. Catcher Joe Astroth o fthe As hit only r one in 104 games last season and has only r four for a six-year career. Infielder Mel Hoderlein of the Senators, in his third season, was looking for his first one after 54 games, while catchers Gus Niarhos of the Red Sox and Charley Sil-vera [ of the Yankees had one each for five seasons. Neither of the catchers, however, has been on regular duty. Bobby Young of the Browns, is a twd-per-year [ man but Johnny Pesky of the Tigers, in his ninth year, is slightly under that. Still, theyre not setting any records for r the modern era. Johnny Cooney, now 1 coaching the Braves, has a mark had to 5 beat. He put in 19 years as a Major leaguer [ and hit just two homers. Got em both the 2 same year, too. t t s z a i t j * I i 1 ] • 1 j 1 ■ • i ■ !• 1 J J i - I 3 £ _ 1 "_
