The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-18
How Connie Mack Secured His
Wonderful $780, 600 Infielders

Icy? Well. he was playing up in Yer
mont, In that summer league, and Col.
Inns was thereto When Andy came
down to Philadelphia he looked me
up n said: Con. you get up there
and get that kid named Collins. He's
going to be one of the best baiiplayers
IN the business before he is three years
Older
s I chased a scout up there, but
Collins had gone to Rockville, Conn,
Wnere he was playing with an indie
pendent team. Billy Lush. the old
nale coach and a good friend of mine,
was managing the team. 1 wrote to
Eli; and he brought Collins up to
pnlladelphia, where I signed him. He
played under the name Of Sullivan,
put II wasn't for playing with us that
ne was barred from playing with Co
lumoia. 1t was because Collins was
with the Rockville team thai summer.
wei, Collins started as a short
stop. l knew he wouldn't make a
shortsop, but he could hit and that's
what | wanted. 1t was no use keep.
ing MIN at short. SO I switched him to
out1eld and he was just as rotten
out there. Now l knew hat Danny
Murphy could play the outfield be-
cause that's where he started.
S l said that if Collins was ever
? - 'S oh tilCl4S lit "Oulu ave
to play at second. l switched Dan to
the outf1eld and put Collins on second,
and the dope seems to have been ali
right.
JACK Barry was the only one of
thls four that l knew at a glance was
a natural born i%ntielder. Tom, nv
brother down at Worcester. used to go
out n watch Holy Cross play, and
ne saw Barry. He wrote me a letter
and told me to get down to Worcester
quick and get hold of Barry before
would see what a pippin he was.
Barry Natural Born Shortstop.
w were in Boston, and I slipped
down to Worcester to see Holy Cross
play. 1t didn't take me long to see
that If I wanted as fine an infelder as
there was around loose. 1 had better
get busy and sign Barry. 1 did sign
him. but he wanted to go along and
graduate. and / told him he certainly
could. He is the best shortstop in the
business today, as far as l know, and
! knew he was a star from the minute
clapped my eyes on him. AS a ball
player, outside of his playing. he is
the quickest thinker on the team and
never pulls a thing wrong.
Baker came to me through Welt
Eel, who owned the Reading team. l
was pretty friendly with Jake, and
sent him some players when they
needed them, SO he told me that he
would do anything for me that came
along. Well, we heard something
about Baker and 1 shipped AL Maui up
to look him over.
"Al told me l better get up myself.
| went up to Reading, and that day
Baker knocked the ball all over tho
lot. He didn't have anything TODD in
the fielding line. but he handled him
self like a fellow who could be taught,
told Weitzel he was the man for me,
and Jake said If Baker didn't make
good he (Jake) would buy him back
for twice what he cost me.
Baker Has Improved.
Baker has improved right along
and this season I think he is the hest
third baseman in our league. How
much would l take for the infeld
Well. that's a question. of course,
that couldn't be answered. wouldn',
take 500, 900 apiece for the boys, as
when We need a player there is nc
money can buy him.
Those boys ought to be in their
prime for seven to ten years to come,
SO YOU see hat there is no need o,
doing any worrying over the infield
-sMos 10 luaplooe wv leS AN ssaIu,
thing that will ruin one Of them TO,
good"