The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-18
(By Gordon

Ny 0OEOoH MdCkdy.)
are like Aladdin's lamp, with I
players and genii to drag the large and
luscious wads from the pouchy and
persuasive major league magnates. It
is strange to turn from this CONNER
cial contemplation and see a $500, 900
infield that cost It's owner a few par
lor a tickets, several players of poor
caliber and a little cash.
Four hundred thousand dollar in
field, you state! Where the deuce is
that? Well. Connie Mack avs that
the Messrs Mc1nnis, Collins, Barry
and Baker could not be purchased for
$780, 900 each. although he cheerfully
admits that nobody In his sane mind
would make any such offer.
Tho American league, at least, holds
no quartet that for combined excel
lence In the various departments of
the game compares for a moment
with the notables who guard the in
ner sanctum for McGillicuddy.
The west has been taken by the ears
by the work of the young men. Even
such an anti-Mack parsonage as Hugh
Fullerton states hat in no league is
there any infield that is comparable to
the young men of McGillicuddy.
Connie Tells of Their Start.
In view of the admitted worth of
these o stars who form the infield
diadem 1t is interesting to find out
when fate first knocked at their door
to have each and every one of them
enter the gigantic field Of the great
national pastime.
This little tale will deal with start.
Ing points and not with careers. and
Connie Mack himself will narrate the
circumstances of signing the four stall.
warts who comprise the youngest.
slickest infield in the country, the in
field with the greatest Of future pros
poets.
Rounding the paths n starts with
Mc1nnis' advent into the corral Of
Cornelius. "A friend of mine" said
the tall tactician. named Tom Mad
den, Kept telling me about a little
squad down in Gloucester who was the
fastest thing in shoe leather and a
real bear cat all the way through. I
told MADDEN to go ahead and sign this
wonder. and bring him up to Boston
when we played there till 1 got a
squint at him.
"Ill never forget the time l first
saw little Mac. He looked about as
big as a schooner of beer, had a little
cap perched on his head, and l laugh
ed at him.
Honestly, 1 thought he was a
Jockey. I never suspected that he was
a ball player. But as long as he was
signed l took the chance.
We'll, little Mac kept improving
with the bat. had plenty of sense in
that noodle of his. hut l couldn't make
an infelder out of him. that is a short.
stop or n of the other sackers. But
l couldn't let his hitting get away
from me. I wanted to make an out
fielder of him. but had a happy
thought. Down South after the reg.
ulars left, l told Stuffy to go on first
every chance that he got and see wha,
he could do So, he always grabbed
the glove and was out there in a min
ute.
Right off the bat l saw that if he
was going to play anywhere regularl,
we would have to make a first base
man out of him. Harry Davis had the
same bunch, and that's how little MAJ
came to be 1.-THE first sack. Now
wouldn't swap him for anybody who
is playing the game: anybody within
reason. of course. He knows NOR
about playing the base now than n
body among the kids, and has learned
to use that one hand. If a first sackel
can't use his glove alone he won't evel
do on that spot. Well, so much fol
Stuffy.
Coaklcy Recommended Collins.
Eddie Collins came to me in a pc
culiar way. Remember Andy Coax