Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-25
MACK ONLY REAL
BENCH MANAGER
Handler Of Worlds Champions Has
Made Fine Record With
Athletics.
DIFFERS FROM MOST
LEADERS OF TEAMS
In Point of Skill and in Developing
Players He Has No Equal
in Game.
Special Disua tch. 10 The Star,

Special Dispa tch- 10 The Star.
NEW YORK, October 25.-Connie Mack
is the only real bench manager strictly
speaking, in either OF the major leagues.
The leader of the new worlds champion
Athletics does not put on a uniform SO
that he can coach from the lines. He re-
mains under cover in citizens clothes
and is seldom in the limelight George
Stallings handled the Highlanders in
similar manner and produced excellent re-
suits. too. The success of the Athletics
nullifes the argument that a team to win
the championship must be handled by a
so-called player-manager, even though
he does not actually take part in the
games. In the American League Donovan
of Boston, McAleer Of Washington, Duffy
of Chicago, Mcclure of Cleveland, Jen-
nings OF Detroit and O'Connor Of ST.
Louis all wore uniforms and were con-
spicuous on the coaching lines this year,
though they did not play. Hal Chase OF
the Highlanders therefore was the only
player manager in the Johnson circuit.
In the National League however. the
were Chance of the
Cubs, Clarke of the Pittspurgs, BreSna-
han of the Cardinals and Doom of the
Philadelphia, while McGraw of the
Cincinnatis and Dahlen OF the Brooklyns
performed their managerial duties in uni
form.
In point of skill in developing players
in gener alship and in the enforcement Of
discipline Mack stands without a superior.
He has just finished his tenth year as
manager OF the Athletics, as he organized
the team in 1901. That year he brought
his players in fourth. In 1902, in spite of
the fact that court decisions deprived him
A. i
and Fraser. Mack nodded a great team
from inferior talent and won the Ameri-
can League pennant for the first time.
The Athletics finished second in 1903 fifth
in 1904 and won another pennant in 1908,
but were beaten in the worlds series by
the Giants. thanks to the wonderful pitch
ing of Christy MathewsOn In 1906 Mack s
men were fourth in the pennant race. in
1907 they were second. in 1908 they came
in sixth and last year they finished sec
ond, close behind the Detroits, who did
not clinch their title to the championship
until the last week Of the season. Last
years team was an experiment. but Mack
developed A powerful base ball machine
that was generally regarded as the win
ner Of this years race.
The Athletics were in the fight this year
almost from the start. April % they
were tied for first place with the Detroits,
who then held the leadership for five
DAYS Nav , the Athletics went to the
front and remained there until June ).
when the Highlanders displaced them and
continued to show the way until June -.
Then Mack's men assumed the leadership
for two days. only to be dlslodged by the
New Yorks again for one day. The Attn
letics regained first place for three days,
but June IS the Hillmen passed them
again, to head the procession for two
DAYS more. Taking the lead once more
June 81, the new worlds champions drew
away rapidly. and from that period to the
end of the campaign their pennant victory
was a foregone conclusion.
Mack began this years race with pre-
cisely the same team that finished second
last season, with the addition of Catcher
Lapp and Strunk. a substitute outfelder.
In midsea son Mack secured Lord from
Cleveland. and that player proved to be
the missing cog in the team s machinery
The success of this great ball team is at
tributed partly to the improved playing
Of the youngsters. Collins. Barry. Old
ring and Baker: to the superb boNWork OF
Bender, Coombs. Plank and Morgan: to
the fine backstopping Of Thomas. Lapp
and Livingston. and the new lease OF
life taken by Dan Murphy and Harry
Davis. The latter is also entitled to
praise for the clever way he captained
the team and carried out Mack's orders
on the field. The Athletics have hung up
a new American League record in games
Won with 102, and are the first team to
capture the worlds championship for
Ban Johrson's organization since 1906.
when the Chicago White Sex beat the
Cubs for that honor. 1t is also Macks
first worlds championship, and is a fit
ting reward for a long and sportsmanlike
career in professional base ball.
The downfall of the Cubs probably
means that Charles Webb Murphy will be
unusually quiet at the winter meetings of
the maenates to be held in this city in
December. The same goes for Dreyfuss
of the Pirates