The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-09-28
MACNATES Often
OVERLOOK STARS
Change Of Scene Known to
Develop a Player.
SOME SPECIMEN MISTAKES.

Connie Mack Had Joe jackson Once, /
but Failed to Hold Him-connie and
Frank Chance Were Both Fooled by
Catcher Schang - Clarence Walker
Was Turned Loose by Clark Griffith.
Some scribes have singled out Mack
of the Athletics as the greatest judge
Of ball player in the nations pastime.
Mack may he entitled to this distinc-
ton, but his judgment proved faulty
on several occasions in his estimate Of
players who afterward became ia
nous. Mack at one time owned Joe
Jackson, the great fielding and slug
ging outnelder of the Cleveland Maps,
but failed to see the diamond in the
rough. Later when Jackson attained
fame Mack saw his great mistake.
The manager and half owner of the
Athletics has been singled out as
lucky baseball man in getting the serv-
ices Of Schaug when thirteen clubs had
drafts in for that player.
Did Mack see the great Prize lie had
drawn in the draft? Did he recognize
Schung as a possible future great-one
of the catching wonders Of the Ameri-
can league? He did not
Soon after Mack had drafted SChang
he made oyertures to Manager Frank
Chance OF the New York Highlanders
to trade Schang for an obscure pitcher.
highly touted at the time, but who has
failed to make good in the big leagues.
Chance, who was said to be a wonder
at detecting good playing talent, turn
cd Mack down cold and lost Il chance
TO add one of the best receiving and
hitting backstops of the day to his
roster in Gotham. All of which goes
to show that they all make mistakes.
Mack also today might not own
Frank Baker were it not for Charles
HerZog, present manager Of the Gin
Cinnati Reds.
President COmiskey ana his mana
gers of the last five years have been
criticised at times for releasing play
ers who have made good on other
clubs. Gandil went to the minors and
then became the best hitting first sack
er in the American league. Rath was
traded to Kansas City rs part payment
for Breton and is today the best all
around second baSeman in the minor
leagues, with m average of $50 at bat.
Yes, it's true that these players have
made good on other clubs, but consider
the other side Of the question. Ray
Dcmmitt was set down as Il failure by
Hugh Jennings last spring at the III
gers training camp in the south.
Comiskcy bought him at the waiver
price. Jennings has lamentcd his mis-
take on several occasions. Demmitt
has proved himself good fielder, an
able hitter in the pinChes and one of
the greatest throwing outfielders in
baseball. Comskey got him for 50, 500
ana wouldn't take $4,000 for his bar
gain.
Eddie Cic0tte was sold to the SOX
for few hundred simoleons by the
Boston club, where he couldn't win
games" lie is a great pitcher for
Comiskey on the true basis, that of the
earned run, and Commy wouldn't part
with Eddie for a small fortune.
Comislley lost Gandil, but he owns
Jack Fourier, player Boston couldn't
use. The Red Sox have needed good
hitting first sacller, but the former
owner failed to detect the future sue
cessor of Lajoie in the awkward
French boy.
Yes. they all tumble a few chance,
occasionally Jennings once owned
Jimmy Archer and gets mad every
time one mentions it. Clark Grifitl
turned Clarence Walker away as
failure because he had "hands to,
small" to make good. Those SAM
hands have made Walker the suggin.
rival of Sam Crawford i'm the Ameri
can league. Many other instances coult
be cited To prove that no one can tell
because there are no fortune tcllers O
sOothsaycrs i'm the baseball game.
there were and they could tell sta
at first sight they would assemble a
unbeatable club and break up the oil
pastime.