The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-03-24
Mere Youth Hits Above 800 Mark
for -Four Years Straight with
Connie Mack's Team.

Few fans are fnware Of the splendid
batting record made by stufy McInnis
the Youthful nfst.satker Of the Phila-
delphia Athletics, dnr'ng his career in
tho American League. stuffy has been
major league ball player only . few
years, joining the Athletics first as sub
infelders playing short mainly, and then
as regular first baseman stepping into
the place made vacant by Harry Davis
when he left to manage the Cleveland
Maps.
McIniis Is hnrdly out Of his teens,
Icing twcnty-three years Of age last
September and yet this sturdy youth,
who halls from Gloucester, Massachu-
sets. has batted over 300 during the
last four years. The point in Stuffy s
remarkable whaling career Is that he
has accomplished in few years what
many major league stars have failed
TO 40 Ia ten to fifteen years.
Stnffy joined the Matkmen in the
spring Of 1909 as utility man, or, it
should be said, boy, for he was not
quite nineteen then. An accident to
I" Homernnt, Baker, who was spiked by
Sherwood Magee IN the spring series
with the Phiiadelphia Nationals, gave
Mclnnis the chance Of cover ng short
in the first game of ball ever played
at Shibe Park.
II was asking a great deal Of raw
eighteen,year-old Juvenile to make his
debut not only ON the opening day OF
the season, but day when America IS
first grandstnnd dreadnought was to be
dedicated. There were all colts Of side.
line exercises that day which were
enough TO throw veteran of his bal.
ance, but McInn:s, ordered into action
on a moments notice, gave an inlSling
Of what gritty batler he was going
I ODE by playing brilliantly In all de-
to be by playing brilliantly in all de-
covered he went TO third base, while
the iamented Nichols resumed his old
post at short. But Mack had seen
StufIy under FIRE and he knew he had
q kohinoor in the midget, During this
year McIunis played in nineteen games
and batted .2Sa, the only season In the
majors that he did not hit above the
/. 300 mark 1sf MA ,sar
In 1910 Stuffy was continued as a
substitute infelder, taking part in thir.
weight games and batting .3)I for the
season. This was sufficient for Mack,
who had been closely watching the hoy.
and as soon as Harry Davis, who, was
rapidly passing his useful period, re.
signed in order 60 manage the Maps,
Connie Immediately promoted McInnis
to hrst bsse, and There he has stuck
ever since. Not assessor has rolled by
In which the graduate of the fishing
industry. in and about Gloucester has
failed to larrup the horsehide 10 ali
corners Of the field for mark better
than 300. For instance, in 1911 he
batted. 1923; in 1912 he raised this 10
,327, and last yettr was barely below
with the splendid gmarlt of 1926. His
complete record gives him four wears
as a 200 per cent wolloper cut of a ca.
reer Of Ave seasons. Guess that isn't
soma record. r,
Compare MeTnnls' record with Joe
Tinker, who started in 1902, aud who
has batted 300 only once in his Zig
leaguc career, or with dozen Others,
and "a line may BE had on the hitting
prowcss of this youth. This would also
seem to indicate that one can Indicate
ON the fingers of one hand those play
ers who Brs in Stuffy 8 class for ste di
ness with the stick. As the youth has
not yet turned twenty-four, he should
further enhance his reputation for be.
ing phenomenal swatster.