El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-08
Mack's 100000 Qurtet L
Composed of Young and
Vigorous Players.
Fans Recall Some Machines
That Were Strong in
the Early Days.

AbN ". d. MacDeTnsl
FEW YORK, Aug. S.-One of the
M great baseball wonders of the
present generation is the in
field of the Athletics. For the past
season or two it has come TO be known
as Connie Mack's SOD, 600 quartet"
Some enthusiasts have gone so far as
to declare It the greatest collection
ever developed by the game.
There is no denying the fact that
the inner defence of Connie Mack's pen
nant trust is of sufficient class to suit
the fancy of the most discerning pub
lie Undoubtedly the great Athletic
four over top anything in the game at
present for all round efficiency. To
say, however, that they are the great
est the game has ever known is max
ing a very strong statement and one
that, though hard to refute, is open TO
widespread argument.
Must Pass in Time.
The entire Athletic infield is young
and vigorous and not likely TO pass out
for some years. But pass it must, with
time, and then whatever infield hap
pens to possess the most class Of that
future period when McInnis, Collins,
Barry and Baker are no more, viii IN
doubtedly be awarded the pedestal
above the sacred memory Of the fallen
kings. Sport is after all a law unto
itself. Sentiment figures not the least.
The great following lives in the pres
ent, leaving the dead past to the men,
cries of its declining veterans.
To begin with. there is absolutely no
manner in which just comparisons be-
tween past and present may be made.
Baseball has progressed. Its evolution
has entalled many changes in every
phase Of the game The rules are not
what thew were The ball itself is not
constructed exactly the same. Present
day players have an equipment Of ar
tificial aids undTeamed in the days Of
a number of the old timers still with
US It is as idle to make comparisons
HNnH H1n ncF nd M nrnf Of has
ball as il would in any line of sport
or life or work. It is easy enough to
say that John L. Sullivan in his prime
would have knocked the everlasting
daylights out of Jack Johnson as he
stood the day he conquered Jeffries
Whether he could or not furnishes a
fine subject for debate. But how prove
anything Unfortunately Sullivan
and Johnson were OF different periods.
The only possible manner in which
the Athletic quartet might gain such
distinction as some admirers would
thrust upon it would be for it to main
tain its dignity on the field of action
against the classy aggregatiOns of the
past. That of course, is somewhat
impracticable- But for a little argu-
ment, we do not have to turn back his
that would compare quite faVOrably
with that Of Philadelphia How about
that old Cub machine-Chance, Evers,
Tinker and Steinfeldt2 Eight years
ago it was heralded as the greatest de-
fensive machine of all history just as
some other collection viii be hailed
eight years hence, maybe
Personally I do not think the Cub
infieId was greater than that of the
Athletics, but some very wise base
ball men and players disagree with
me If I cared TO argue I should con-
cede Connie Mack's the palm of hitting
power Collectively the Athletics have
more speed than the renowned Cubs,
are less flashy, perhaps, in the field,