translated from Spanish: Spanish flu did not reduce baseball

Coral Gables, Florida. (VIP-WIRE). Today and tomorrow are mail days. Did you tell me about the town or the city from where you write? Thanks a lot. Eduardo González O. de Piedras Negras, asks: “How did the Spanish plague affect the major league seasons 1918, 1919 and 1920?” And Rubén J. Luzardo S. de San Carlos del Zulia, asks: “How did the activity in Major League Baseball unfold at the time of the so-called Spanish flu, and if it is true that Babe Ruth became infected?” Friends Chalo and Rubo: That time the dead around the world were 50 million, more than in World War I, and the infected, a million 800 thousand; 550,000 died in the United States. Now we’re going into the world for the 250 thousand dead. It is good to remember that antibiotics were not known until 1928, and the flu vaccine began to be applied in 1945.No nonetheless against everything, in each of the three years the full schedule was played. Ruth was first home-run champion in 1918 with the Red Sox. He got 11. And there’s no information about him suffering from the flu. Luis Medina of Mazatlan asks, “Do you consider that ‘liver Pérez will become a candidate for the Cooperstown Hall of Fame?” Friend Lucho: Of course I do. And there’ll be a lot of good research to do from his career. I can’t guarantee he’ll make it, but he’ll be a good candidate, and I think he’ll be able to accumulate a lot of votes. Pedro Reyes, fellow journalist from Puerto La Cruz, asks: “Could you explain the sewing of the ball. It’s one in the whole ball. The 108 openings are part of the seam. Is that right for the two- and four-seam straights?” Friend PeErre: The seam is one, with two threads, one on each side, equal on each side are 108 holes for the 108 stitches. The thread is a kind of waxed wick. And the two or four seams is as the pitcher supports his fingers to throw the straight. Pedro L. Vargas of Choir asks, “Why are there so few shortstops in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame?” Friend Pedro: I think you’re a failure in math. Only pitchers are more, 83, because the shortstops are 26, 1B 23, 2B 21, 3B 17, LF 22, CF 25 and RF 25.
Luis E. Gámez M. de Provo, Utha, asks: “Name five of the HOF to whom you did not give your vote and five to whom they did and did not reach.” Friend Lucho: Many are without my vote, because they started choosing in 1936 and I voted much later. The most recent, Ferguson Jenkins, Barry Larkin, Orlando Cepeda, ‘dgar Martinez. They didn’t come and I voted for them, David Concepción and AndyPettitte, the most recent. Thanks to the life you’ve given me so much, even a reader like you. 



Original source in Spanish