The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-06
MACK 0vERTURNS
SCOUTING system
LEADER or ATHLETICS HAS MOST
COMPLETE METHOD IN
BASEBALL,
M'GRAW IS CLOSE UP
GIANTS AND WORLDS CHAMPIONS
ARE BOTH WELL FORTIFIED
IN MATTER OF SUB
STITUTEs.
BY W. j. MACBETH.

| BY W. j. MACBETH.
NEW YORK, May 5.-The public
sits in admiration and awe of Con
ME Mack's worlds champion AtAle-
ties. The team which BUNDLED the
Giants in the worlds series last fall
is universally conceded TO be one OF
the very best aggregations produced
in the history of the national past
time Yet. in its yeneration OF the
I capability of that wonderful machine.
the public is prone to overlook the
genius OF the man who fashioned 1t.
Connie Mack did not fall heir TO
any such collection of stars. He had
to dig up each and every one OF
them. His ultimate success is but
tribute to his foresight and rare
judgment. For in his own unassum-
ing. quiet way, Mack has changed
the business politics of the great
organized profession. The leader of
the Athletics was ii pioneer in his
way te foresaw ten years ago the
great development TO which this
sport would attain in a decade. He
. realized that each year IL would be-
come more difficult to secure desired
talent through purchase and trade.
Before the rival managers ever
dreamed OF paying serious attention
to the scouting end of the business,
Connie Mack had raked the minor
organizations and colleges with fine
tooth comb.
No club in organized baseball has
such a perfect scouting system as
that of Connie Mack. He himself is
the great chief of the sleuthing de-
partment and his is the final iudg-
ment He is tipped off to more good
green players than any other three
managers, simply because his great
network of espionage was established
before rivals woke mp TO his wonder
full advantage The Athletics were
in on the ground floor and so long as
Mack remains in the game. Philadel-
phia's Americans will continue TO
have first call.
Mack sets Pace,
Until Connie Mack entered the
major league field managers looked
little further ahead than the tips OF
their noses They were content TO
dwell upon the present SO far as re-
suits were concerned. Mack studied
the future. He planned fully five
years ahead. He looked the situa-
ton squareiy in the face. He saw in
a star not his present eapability, but
the day when he must begin to pale
and fade. He figured to have by
that day some newcomer to step into
the declining veterans shoes; and
he always planned on having in his
h-ts f. III
in every department OF the game.
Connie Mack was caught mapping
Just once. That was In 1906. He
was fooled by his champion aggre-
CATION OF 1905. the bunch that was
so badly shown up by the Giants.
Mack overestimated the period of
usefulness OF many OF hts veterans.
The series with the Giants opened
his eyes to his mistake There was
! a general house cleaning the follow
. ing year. Then 1t Was that the willy
Quaker set out in earnest to develop
almost single-handed the great ma
China he now controls. -~-'-~-----------
His case was similar to that OF
McGraw. The gallant leader of the
, Polo grounders was IN identlcally
. the same fix as Mack. though he did
mot know II. Half the old cham
pions of 1905 had cracked on Nc
Graw's hands during the hot pen
, nant pace. The worlds series oil
that year gave McGraw no warning
A disastrous campaign followed the
. merit season he Aewfork leader
Immediately began the wedding out
process which eventually resulted in
the wonderful Team now at home in
Brush Stadium.
Two Leading Rivals.
, The 1912 Giants appear to outclass
, the National League as far as tbs
1871 Athletics .outctassad the ,Ameri-
can League. Eliminating unusual
misfortune each should have a
/ strange hold on it's pennant long
/ before fall. In many respects the
, rival aggregations are very similar
MeGraw specializes on speed; Mack
on hitting ability. Each, OF course
attempts to combine all possible OF
. the one with the other. Both are
solidly established in the matter OF
youth. Yet each Ia fortified with un-
usually brilliant substitutes. Nc.
Graw maintains that as chain is
no stronger than it's weakest link
team is no stronger than it's sub
stitutes.
or the two teams the Athletics APP
pear the stronger. Whether they
would prove SO at the end of a siren.
uous campaign may remain for the
next worlds series to show. Mack
players have the ADVANTAGE OF longer
experience together. II is. more
seasoned array in every way, even
though the players may be every bi,
as young In years as New York
Mack has far more seasoned pitchers
than has McGraw. Mathewson is
New York's sole veteran standby