Atlanta Daily World

Ernie Banks, Vic Power Lead In Spring Training Home Runs

CHICAGO. -(ANP)- The leading home run hitter of the spring training season for major league teams is slender Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs. In fact, Banks has been pacing the slugging Cubs in the Cactus competition in Arizona and seems headed for a big year when the regular campaign gets underway. The veteran shortstop, who belted 43 home runs last season, had smacked nine in pre-season competition. He was batting around .390 and had driven in 23 runs. In one afternoon with a home run and a double Banks collected 5 RBI's in the first inning as Chicago scored 12 runs and eventually defeated the Cleveland Indians, 13 to 8. Another hot hand at the plate is being wielded by Vic Power of the Kansas City Athletics. Installed in the cleanup slot, Power had a .499 average last week. He had garnered 22 hits in 49 trips to the plate and had driven in 12 runs and had five extra base blows. For the last three seasons, Power had batted mostly in the leadoff of the Athletics. His average was .319 in 1955 and .309 the following season. Last year, his mark dipped to .259 I never really wanted to bat leadoff," said Power recently. "(Manager Lou) Boudreau wanted me to bat leadoff so I did the best job I could, but I never bat leadoff before. "In Puerto Rico I bat cleanup before I was signed. In every other league but this I bat third, fourth or fifth. I think I hit better in cleanup spot. I lay off first pitch. With men on base I make them put ball where I want it and I hit better. When I bat leadoff I swing at everything since my only thought is to get on base." Power, in first position, was never regarded as essentially a long ball hitter, although in 1955 he hit 19 home runs and drove in 76 runs. Another excellent hitter this spring has been Harry Simpson, who was a flop for the New York Yankees in the World Series last fall. During the off season, the Yankees asked waivers on Simpson, but found no takers. Harry was acquired in a trade last year with the Athletics. Simpson last week was batting .364, and it appears that his performance forced Manager Casey Stengel to consider dispensing with the service of Enos Slaughter, a 42-year-old veteran. Simpson batted no better than .250 last year in 75 games with the Yankees after hitting .296 before he was acquired from Kansas City. He got only one hit in the World Series. Many clubs were trimming their rosters last week, and one of the surprises was the dropping off of Larry Raines by the Cleveland Indians. Larry had been impressive both in the field and at bat and was sent to San Diego of the Pacific Coast League. He was joined on that team by Dave Mann, an outfielder who batted .320 and stole 50 bases last year for Reading in the Class A Eastern League. The Milwaukee Braves sent Lee Maye, a young outfielder, to Wichita, of the American Association Technically, Maye, who batted .264 last year for Jacksonville in the South Atlantic League, was being given a trial without being on the National League club roster. The Braves' Manager, Fred Haney, is toying with the idea of sending Juan Pizarro, the Puerto Rican lefthander, to Wichita. Pizarro has been unimpressive after a brilliant season of winter ball. In spring competition, he had an 8.10 earned run mark in 10 innings of pitching Perhaps only the lack of lefthanded mound strength has kept the young southpaw on the Braves roster. Frank Herrera, the young Cuban who is bidding for the first base job with the Philadelphia Phillies, is trying to disprove the notion that he can't hit major league pitching. Herrera, who batted .304 for Miami in the International League last season, has rapped out a couple of big home runs in Grapefruit League games. Another rookie who has been banging out home runs in Orlando Cepeda of the New York Giants. He hit a pair in a 7 to 5 victory over Baltimore to bring his spring output to six. In the same game, Willie Mays hit a couple. Previously, he had hit only one since spring training began. A surprise package for the Chicago Cubs has been Lou Jackson, who batted .310 for Twin Falls in the Class C Pioneer League last season. He is being tried in the center field slot. Injuries make Al Smith of the Chicago White Sox and George Crowe of the Cincinnati Redlegs doubtful starters for season openers. Smith has been suffering several weeks with an inflamed ankle the outfielder and has been able to do little more than take batting practice. Crowe has been hobbled by a twisted knee incurred in a game last September The knee has failed to respond to treatment. The first baseman, who hit 31 home runs last year, is apprehensive about his future. Rene Valdes, a Spring time sensation with the Brooklyn Dodgers last year, has been returned to the Montreal Royals by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Valdes, who won 11 and lost 12 last season in the International League, has been a disappointment in spring training this year.