The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell

[TexasLonghorns]

Originally Posted by Big Six

Boston Globe, August 23, 1924

Dear Editor,

I read in the Globe that Babe Ruth hit a home run for the Yankees yesterday. I suppose he was having a bad day, because on each of the previous three days, Ruth hit two home runs. He has now hit eight home runs in the past five games, and has hit sixty home runs so far this season. I need not tell you that the season will not end for approximately a month.

If I have calculated correctly, the Boston Red Sox have hit seventy-eight home runs. Lou Gehrig, Ray Schalk, and Neal Berry, the three players obtained by the Red Sox in exchange for Babe Ruth, have hit exactly two of them.

Bill Carrigan, or whoever else was responsible for this trade, should be fired.

Sincerely,
Herbert R. Jones

Get the pitchforks and torches out.

[MattStewNYY]

Originally Posted by Big Six

Boston Globe, August 6, 1924
Special Baseball Edition

PAT GETS #3000!!

NEW YORK--The brightest moment in an otherwise dreary 1924 Boston Red Sox season took place today, under cloudy skies in the baseball palace known as Yankee Stadium. In the fifth inning of a game against the New York club, with two men out and the bases empty, Patrick Joseph O'Farrell ripped a single to left field off Rube Bressler. O'Farrell's hit did not figure into the scoring in any fashion; the Red Sox would have beaten the Yankees, 5-1, had O'Farrell made an out instead.

It was a fairly routine O'Farrell hit, like hundreds of others. O'Farrell has accumulated 2,999 other base hits in his career, after all.

That, however, was exactly what made this particular single worth a special edition of the Boston Globe.

Only three other men in the history of the game have reached the 3,000 hit milestone: Ty Cobb, still active with the Chicago Cubs; Wee Willie Keeler; and Sam Crawford. Red Sox teammate Tris Speaker should join O'Farrell in this exclusive fraternity soon, as Speaker needs only seventy-two more safeties himself.

A tired, but smiling O'Farrell greeted friends and family after the game, as his wife and five children, his parents, and his sister, Mrs. Emily O'Farrell Wood, all made the journey to New York, hoping to see him deliver his historic hit. "I have been blessed with the ability to play baseball for a living, and to have been able to remain in the game a long time," he commented in his usual modest fashion.

"Year in and year out, Pat has been one of the best players in the game," added his manager and long-time friend, Bill Carrigan. "That is what it takes to achieve this milestone: longevity and excellence."

O'Farrell's first major league hit came on September 9, 1907, against Doc White of the Chicago White Sox. A week shy of his twentieth birthday at the time, O'Farrell sharply lined a fastball into left field for a single. Almost seventeen years and two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine hits later, he is still doing the very same thing. As Carrigan knows so well, it has been O'Farrell's consistency, as much as his brilliance, that has made him such a rare ballplayer. Young teammates, such as Gehrig and Todt, Johnson and Cuyler, have before them the finest example of sustained excellence the game has perhaps ever known, and would do well to pattern the way they approach their craft after that of the Stockbridge Slugger.

This summer has provided precious few highlights for Red Sox fans, who have watched their team win nine pennants and seven World Series since Pat O'Farrell stroked his first base hit. Pat would certainly rather have had his three-thousandth hit come at a crucial moment, in an important game, in the midst of a pennant fight. That was not to be, but in a way, perhaps this was almost as rewarding. For today, Pat O'Farrell was the story, and that might be the way it was supposed to be. Today, the most beloved athlete Boston has ever known etched his name even more indelibly into the annals of baseball. Today center stage was, for once, his alone.

Congratulations on 3000!

[Big Six]

Boston Post, September 2, 1924

RED SOX WIN ON O'FARRELL HOMER
No. 151 of Pat's Career Places Him Second All-Time

BOSTON--The most casual baseball fan could probably tell you that after his home run feats of the past few years, Babe Ruth has now hit more four-baggers than any man who has ever played the game. With 66 and counting in 1924 alone, the Babe has now connected for 236 home runs over the course of his career.

The man whose record Ruth eclipsed last season, long-time Indians slugger Big Jim Nealon, has now yielded second place as well. Yesterday at Fenway Park, Pat O'Farrell pounded his seventeenth home run of the season, driving in the decisive run in a 6-4 victory over the first-place Philadelphia Athletics. O'Farrell now has 151 career home runs, one more than Nealon accumulated before he retired last season.

Pat's circuit clout continued a home run binge that has seen him belt eight home runs since the first of August, and he tied his previous best total for a single season.

The Bostons' victory was George Dauss' nineteenth of the season, and Bunny Hearn took the loss for Philadelphia.

[Big Six]

September 2, 1924

MR PAT OFARRELL
BOSTON RED SOX BASEBALL CLUB
FENWAY PARK
BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS

DEAR PAT STOP
GOT FIRST BIG LEAGUE HIT TODAY STOP
SINGLE OFF HOD ELLER STOP
DROVE IN FIRST RUN TOO STOP
ONLY 3000 SOME BEHIND YOU NOW STOP
YOUR PAL STOP
ARCHIE

[Big Six]

Chicago Tribune, September 5, 1924

WHITE SOX WIN AGAIN, 6-2
Graham Hits Long Home Run

CHICAGO--Perhaps it is too late for the Southsiders to salvage a disastrous 1924 campaign, but recent events indicate that better times might lie ahead. The White Sox defeated the Washington Senators, 6-2, behind another strong pitching performance by rookie Al Yeargin. His fellow rookie, Archie Graham, gave him a lead he would never relinquish when he blasted a curveball from Nats twirler Elmer Jacobs over the right-field fence. Graham's towering shot was hit so hard that Nemo Leibold did nothing more than look up and watch it soar.

Graham has made the most of his opportunity to start this week, hitting safely in each of the three games he has been in the lineup. Heretofore, Archie had been utilized only for his speed afoot, appearing so often as a pinch runner that he was jokingly dubbed "Bibb Falk's Legs..."

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, September 17, 1924

WOOD DEFEATS NATS ON ONE HIT
Smoky Joe Recapturing Old Form

BOSTON--Yesterday the fifteen thousand devoted rooters who ventured to Fenway Park were treated to a sight that was once feared to be a thing of the distant past. Venerable righthander Smoky Joe Wood was in full command of his arsenal of deliveries, combining a crackling fast ball and a wicked curve to dazzle the Washington Senators. Wood threw a one-hit shutout that provides further evidence that his mysterious funk, which lasted more than two years, is finally over.

Smoky Joe walked only two batters and struck out thirteen, resembling once again the fearsome pitcher who dominated the American League in the mid-teens. His teammate and friend Pat O'Farrell had this to say about Wood's performance: "I have been behind Joe for almost every one of the games he has started in the major leagues. I have seen him pitch very few finer games than the one he gave us today."

O'Farrell, whose sister happens to be Wood's husband, celebrated his thirty-seventh birthday by returning to the Red Sox lineup, after a week's absence while he rested a tired shoulder...

[Big Six]

The defending American League champion Boston Red Sox slipped to fourth place in 1924, with a 78-76 record that left them nineteen games off the pennant-winning Athletics' pace. The A's went on to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, four games to one.

Pat saw his performance slip somewhat too. Here are his 1924 stats, along with his career totals:

        G   AB    H   2B  3B  HR  RBI   R    BB   K    SB  CS  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
1924   143  525  159  37  11  17   69  111   79   87   58  26 .303 .392 .512 .904 
Total 2466 9079 3032 543 276 151 1498 1969 1629 1042 1204 283 .334 .435 .504 .940

For the first time since 1908, Pat failed to lead the league in any offensive category. However, he did accumulate quite a bit of gray ink. The categories in which O'Farrell placed in the American League's top ten are shown below, with Pat's totals, the name of the league leader, and his performance:

Category   Total  Place  Leader  Total
OBP         .392    4th  Ruth     .462
SLG         .512    7th  Ruth     .876
OPS         .904    5th  Ruth    1.338
RC         124.6    2nd  Ruth    220.0
RC/27       8.27    2nd  Ruth    16.14
Doubles       37    7th  Falk       48
Home Runs     17    8th  Ruth       71
Runs         111    3rd  Ruth      151
SB            58    4th  Piez       76
BB            79    T-3  Ruth      111
ExtraBaseH    65    5th  Ruth      123
Total Bases  269    9th  Ruth      466

Yes, you read that right. The Babe ended up with 71 homers, and won the AL Triple Crown (.350-71-173) The home run and RBI totals were new single-season records; in both cases, Ruth beat his own marks. I don't have to tell you that Ruth won the Outstanding Batter award, but I will anyway.

Over in the senior circuit, MOB winner Oscar Charleston of the Cubs also shattered his league's home run record by putting 41 over the fences. Oscar mashed to the tune of .352/.401/.696, throwing in 32 doubles and 25 triples for good measure. He drove in 121 runs and scored 138 more.

Pol Perritt of the NL champion Cards won another Most Outstanding Pitcher award, posting a 29-10 record and a 2.68 ERA. Perritt also struck out 338 batters, second best in NL history. Pol's teammate Erv Kantlehner provided strong backup, going 26-7, 2.83.

Herb Pennock not only won a World Series ring; he took home an MOP as well, with a 26-11 record and a 2.59 ERA. Pennock led the league in wins and ERA, but missed the pitchers' Triple Crown when he struck out "only" 255 men to Grover Cleveland Alexander's 303.

[Tib]

Wanted to drop a line here and say how much I continue to enjoy Life and Times. Like Pat himself, Big Six, you continue to perform at a consistently high level.

[Big Six]

Thanks, Tib! I enjoy going over to the ITP side and checking out Short Hops as well. Keep up the good work yourself!

[Big Six]

Some one-hoppers from the career leaders board:

Pat clings to his spot in the top ten in lifetime batting average with a .334 mark, landing him in tenth place.

He has climbed to fourth place all-time in hits, with 3,032. His buddy and teammate Tris Speaker is right behind him, and needs 30 more for three grand.

Home run #151, as mentioned before, leaves Pat second to the Babe on the career lists.

Two more RBI will give Pat an even 1,500, and he has moved into third place in this category. If he drives in 71 runs, he will become the all-time RBI king. Pat has fallen short of that total three times in his career: in his first two seasons, and in 1924 (he finished with 69, on a Red Sox team that was pathetically weak offensively).

Only Speaker and Nap Lajoie have more doubles than Pat, who has 543 two-base hits in his career.

With 276 triples, Pat has a chance to pass the 300 mark for his career, and with every three-bagger he hits, he breaks his own career record.

Pat has walked 1,629 times. Tillie Shafer is second with 1,281. 'Nuff said.

There is an interesting battle for the all-time lead in runs scored. Ty Cobb still holds the record, with 1,978, but Pat is right on his heels with 1,969. Ty played more regularly after his trade to the Cubs, but ended up hitting only .269. Don't bet against Pat to be the first man to 2,000.

Finally, Pat passed the 1,200 mark in career stolen bases, and now has 1,204 thefts. Cobb is second, with 1,126. Shafer became the third man to succeed at base larceny a thousand times.

Two more wins will give Walter Johnson 300 for his career; he would be the sixth pitcher to reach this milestone. Chuck Rose stands next at 285. Joe Wood's nineteen wins raised his total to 258, and with three decent years (or two very good ones) he will pass the 300 mark as well.

All three of the game's all-time strikeout kings were punching 'em out again in '24. Johnson passed the 3,500 mark, while Roy Hitt is well over 3,000 now. Smoky Joe's resurgence enabled him to pass the 3,000 barrier, too.

[Big Six]

As the 1924 season ends, it's time to take a look at Pat's ratings once again.

He is now 37 years old, and his formidable abilities are beginning to show signs of age.

His Contact rating fell as low as 73 during the season, but then rebounded slightly to settle in at 75. This represents a loss of 13 points from his peak value. Pat can still get the bat on the ball more efficiently than most major leaguers, however.

Pat's power to the gaps remains robust, and he rates 90 in this category. As his career high was 95, he has lost very little of his value here.

Just as his Contact rating did, his Home Run Power score fell from 53 to 47, and then bounced back to 50. He has lost five points from his high mark of 55.

He can still control the strike zone with the best, as his Eye rating remains at its peak value of 102. His ability to Avoid Ks has slipped slightly, from 85 to 80.

A man who steals almost sixty bases during the season in which he turns 37 still has a good deal of Speed. While not the 93-point speedburner he was back in the day, Pat still can motor along at 75. His Stealing rating is also now at 75, down from 85. He has made up for the couple of steps he has lost with an even greater amount of baserunning savvy, as his Instincts score remains at 85.

Pat is not yet a liability afield, but with a Range rating currently at 41 and dropping, he will certainly end his career without a Slick Fielder Award in his trophy case. His ability to fill in at shortstop and at left field is almost completely gone, although he did appear in one game in left during the 1924 season.

Pat has so far aged very gracefully, remaining a significantly talented player at the close of his seventeenth full season in the major leagues. Players with Pat's skills set have historically aged pretty well, continuing to be valuable as they approach age 40, so Pat's career path makes sense to me. Barring a catastrophe, he should remain a key part of the Red Sox' plans for at least a year or two longer.

[William4192]

That was the headlines today on the front page of Sport Magazine (hope it was okay to take this liberty). Rough Bill, who was one of the finest men and ball players of his day, made one of the most lopsided trades in the fine history of orgainzed baseball. He traded the best player ever to suit up, the same man who hit 71 homers this year (need I say a record), for players that have so far been marginal at best. Does it really matter who you get when you trade a guy like Ruth? When asked for this story how he felt about the trade, he replied, "There is still a team in that city?". Of course Ruth was only joking, but should Bill Carrigan be fired? How long can he keep the job? This writer thinks me might surivive the trade if 1b prospect Lou Gehrig can turn into a very good player...Anything less might cost the manager his job.


*Big six, I took liberties with this. I hope you don't mind and upon your request, I'll delete the entire thing.

[Big Six]

Not a bit, William. You've followed Pat (and Bill) for so long that you're entitled to chime in with something like this if you'd like.

You're right; if Gehrig doesn't become a star, then Carrigan, who at least supported the trade, will be on the firing line. Something tells me that he will, however, and with the rest of the Red Sox' young talent, players like Judy Johnson, Kiki Cuyler, Waite Hoyt, and Martin Dihigo, the Sox should see better days ahead.

And, if they hurry, Pat will still be a key contributor to the Red Sox' resurgence, too.

[Big Six]

I thought I'd have a little fun with a few of Bill James' metrics, now that Pat's career has progressed to the point that he's amassed some nice career totals.

First, we'll look at how Pat fares on the Black and Gray Ink tests. If you're not familiar with them, either check out James' book, The Politics of Glory, or visit this page at baseball-reference.com.

Here are a list of Pat's Gray- and Black-Ink-worthy performances. If he placed in the American League's top ten in a category, I list the year in which he did so after the category. If he led the league, it will be shown in bold face.

Home Runs: 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
RBI: 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22
Batting Average: 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23

Pat scores 4 points on the Black Ink Test for his two home run titles, giving him a total of eight. On the Gray Ink test, he scores four for each of the years listed above...for a total of 144 points.

Runs Scored: 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Hits: 09, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23
Slugging Average: 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18,, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

For leading the league so many times in these categories, Pat scores 3 points apiece in the Black Ink tally...for a total of 42 points. He picks up 123 more on the Gray Ink scale too.

Doubles: 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24
Walks: 09, 10, 11, 12, 13,, 14, 15,, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24
Stolen Bases: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Pat picks up two more points for each of his league-leading totals, which gives him 34 more points worth of Black Ink. Add 82 more to his Gray Ink total as well.

Games Played: I'm not sure how many times Pat led the league, or placed in the top ten, in this category.
At Bats: O'Farrell draws so many bases on balls that he never ranks high in this category.
Triples: 08, 09, 10, 12,, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Score one point for each of his three triples titles on the Black Ink scale, and 13 for his top-ten finishes on the Gray Ink tally.

At the end of the 1924 season, Pat O'Farrell has accumulated 87 points on the Black Ink Test. He has amassed 362 points on the Gray Ink Test.

The "real" major leaguer with the most points on the Black Ink Test is, not surprisingly, Babe Ruth, with 161. Pat would rank seventh on this list, behind Ruth, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Honus Wagner, and just ahead of Dan Brouthers.

Cobb scores the best on the Gray Ink test, with a career total of 417. Pat would place fifth, a single point behind Wagner. Henry Aaron and Musial are the other players with scores higher than Pat's.

If Pat retired today, he would have already enjoyed a career that would rank him among the all-time greats of the game.

Next: How does Pat fare according to Bill James' Hall of Fame Monitor?

[Big Six]

Bill James developed the Hall of Fame Monitor as a tool to evaluate an active player's chances of making the Hall of Fame would be. Of course, in 1924, there was no Hall of Fame, and no Hall of Famers against which Pat's totals could be compared, so using the tool in this fashion is a little bit contrived. Still, I thought it would be fun to see how Pat stacks up here.

Here are each of the checkpoints James identifies, and Pat's status with regard to each of them:

For Batting Average, 2.5 points for each season over .300, 5.0 for over .350, 15 for over .400. Seasons are not double-counted. I require 100 games in a season to qualify for this bonus.
Pat has hit over .350 six times, and has batted between .300 and .350 another ten times. He scores 55 points for Batting Average.

For hits, 5 points for each season of 200 or more hits.
Pat has four 200-hit seasons, good for 20 points.

3 points for each season of 100 RBI's and 3 points for each season of 100 runs.
Pat has driven in at least 100 runs in five different seasons. He has scored at least 100 runs for thirteen consecutive seasons. Give him another 54 points in this category.


10 points for 50 home runs, 4 points for 40 HR, and 2 points for 30 HR.
Pat has never hit more than 17 homers in a season.

2 points for 45 doubles and 1 point for 35 doubles.
Pat has hit between 35 and 45 two-baggers in a season three times. That's good for 3 more points.

8 points for each MVP award and 3 for each AllStar Game, and 1 point for a Rookie of the Year award.
I will give Pat the MVP points for each of his two Most Outstanding Batter award-winning seasons. He has also played in 15 All-Star games. He scores 53 points in this category.

2 points for a gold glove at C, SS, or 2B, and 1 point for any other gold glove.
Pat has never won the Slick Fielder Award.

6 points if they were the regular SS or C on a WS team, 5 points for 2B or CF, 3 for 3B, 2 for LF or RF, and 1 for 1B. I don't have the OF distribution, so I give 3 points for OF.
Pat has seven World Series rings, and has been the starting second baseman on every one of the Sox' World Championship teams. That's good for 35 more points.

5 points if they were the regular SS or C on a League Championship (but not WS) team, 3 points for 2B or CF, 1 for 3B. I don't have the OF distribution, so I give 1 points for OF.
Twice, Pat has been the regular second sacker on pennant-winning teams that lost the Series. 6 more points here.

2 points if they were the regular SS or C on a Division Championship team (but not WS or LCS), 1 points for 2B, CF, or 3B. I don't have the OF distribution, so I give 1 points for OF.
There aren't any divisions in Pat's day.

6 points for leading the league in BA, 4 for HR or RBI, 3 for runs scored, 2 for hits or SB, and 1 for doubles and triples.
Wow...here we go: Two home run titles; seven in runs scored; one in hits; eleven in steals; one in doubles; three in triples; and a partridge in a pear tree. That looks like...57 more points.

50 points for 3,500 career hits, 40 for 3,000, 15 for 2,500, and 4 for 2,000.
Pat scores 40 more points here for his membership in the 3000 hit club.

30 points for 600 career home runs, 20 for 500, 10 for 400, and 3 for 300.
Hey, he's halfway to 300, he's second all time in career homers, and he's a Dead Ball guy. Shouldn't that be worth a point and a half?

24 points for a lifetime BA over .330, 16 if over .315, and 8 if over .300.
Pat is a career .334 hitter, and that's worth 24 points. He'll lose eight of them if his decline phase is long or precipitous enough.

For tough defensive positions, 60 for 1800 games as a catcher, 45 for 1,600 games, 30 for 1,400, and 15 for 1,200 games caught.
30 points for 2100 games at 2B or SS, or 15 for 1,800 games.
15 points for 2,000 games at 3B.
An additional 15 points in the player has more than 2,500 games played at 2B, SS, or 3B.
Pat scores 30 points here. He's only about 50 games away from the 15-point bonus for 2,500 games at 2B.

Award 15 points if the player's batting average is over .275 and they have 1,500 or more games as a 2B, SS or C.
Cha-ching...15 more for O'Farrell.

OK...adding all these up gives Pat O'Farrell a total of 392 points.

According to Bill James, a player with 100 has a decent shot at making the Hall, and a guy with 130 is basically a lock. Among "real" major leaguers, only four players--guys named Cobb, Musial, Ruth, and Aaron--have more than 392 points.

I'd say Pat O'Farrell has had a pretty nice career, wouldn't you?

[seth70liz76]

When he was created, do you ever imagine he'd be this great? I know you wanted to have a quality player, but he's essentially the superstar of his era (although a modest one to be sure).

[Big Six]

I really didn't, seth70liz76. I admit I created him to be a good player, who would probably end up making the major leagues, so I'd have a story to tell. I had no idea he'd turn out to be a superstar.

It does provide the opportunity to keep his story going for decades to come, however, because he will be the kind of player who will remain part of the lore of the game.

[Big Six]

The Sporting News, November 18, 1924

Now that the major leagues have opened their doors to Negro ball players, wise scouts are expanding their pursuits of the finest talents among the colored ranks. Such promising young players as "Cool Papa" Bell, "Turkey" Stearnes, "Judy" Johnson, and Bill Foster have been discovered and signed to contracts, and are beginning to make their presences felt at the highest levels of the game.

The latest "find" might be the most exciting of all. From the sandlots near Mobile, Alabama comes news of a young righthanded pitcher, Leroy Paige, whose skill and mound savvy belie his years, supposedly only eighteen in number.

Paige, who has been nicknamed "Satchel" for his suitcase-sized feet, is a tall, lanky twirler with impressive speed and a variety of curves. Undoubtedly Paige will trigger a lively competition between the sixteen major league clubs, any of whom would be willing to see if his alleged skills and potential will translate to major league success.

Next on their shopping list will likely be George Suttles, a powerful batter who plays the outfield and first base. Suttles, dubbed "Mule" for the authority with which he "kicks" the sphere over the fence, is a somewhat more polished talent than Paige. At age twenty-three, Suttles might be more ready for the rigors of "big league" ball...

[Big Six]

An advertisement from early winter 1924:

Everyone calls it
"The World's Greatest Buy"

And Hudson Is The Car PAT O'FARRELL Drives!

Pat O'Farrell knows a lot about smooth performance, reliability, and endurance, so naturally he drives a Hudson. Like O'Farrell, the Hudson "Six" can be counted on to deliver at the highest level, day after day, year after year. That's why when Pat isn't driving in runs, he's driving his "Six."

If it's the right car for Pat O'Farrell, it's the right car for you!

HUDSON COACH $1345
SEDAN: FIVE PASSENGER $1795
SEDAN: SEVEN PASSENGER $1895

The World's Largest Builder of Six-Cylinder Closed Cars

[Big Six]

Majestic Hotel
Hot Springs, Arkansas

Mr. Charles Prentice
442 Park Street
Stockbridge, Massachusetts

March 23, 1925

Dear Charlie,

This is the first chance I have really had to write to you since we arrived at Hot Springs. Bill Carrigan has designed a schedule of work-outs that will either prepare us for the rigors of a long season or kill us in the process. Any man of us who is left standing will be able to handle anything the American League can offer us!

In all honesty, we are determined to prove to everyone that last season was a fluke, and not the sort of performance we will make into a habit. At the risk of sounding arrogant, none of us are used to losing. From the day a young player signs a contract with the Red Sox, he expects to win.

If what I have seen so far is any indication, we will win considerably more games than we did last season. We batters did not keep up our end of the bargain in '24, and all of us have been taking round after round of extra batting practice here at Hot Springs in order to guarantee that we will do our part in '25, and then some.

The man who has particularly impressed me this spring is Lou Gehrig, the young first baseman we received when we traded Babe Ruth to New York. There has perhaps been too much pressure placed on him to "replace" Ruth's production, and that is an unfair thing to do to a player who has not spent an entire season in the major leagues yet. Perhaps Lou is not quite ready to hit seventy home runs, but do not be surprised if he begins to deliver on the promise we have all observed.

I should go now, and soak in one of the spring houses; tomorrow, and another two work-outs, are coming too soon. I feel remarkably fresh, however, which I attribute to my busy winter in the Berkshires. Chopping wood and hiking in the hills in the fresh air is the best exercise regimen known to man, and we can take advantage of it free of charge!

I hope you, Ophelia, and the kids will take a trip out to Boston to see us play this season. If your boys would like to carry bats for us at a game, let me know, and I can arrange it.

Your pal,
Pat

*********
As I was running spring training for the Red Sox, I noticed that Gehrig, Judy Johnson, and Cuyler all had nice ratings spikes. Carrigan must have known what he was doing when he gave them playing time in 1924...