The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-02-15

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move. His parents were eager for him
to enter Holy Cross College, and as this
Institution has always held a reputation
for turning out splendid baseball teams,
and Jack was assured >of q good chance
to make a regular position at the start,
he went to Worcester In the fall OF 1904.
entering college In the same class az
Bill Carrigan. who was to Join the big
ieaguers even before he did.
Started ~ Pitcher.
Jack had started out in his career as
y pitcher and second baseman. But he
lacked the physique 20 essential to q
successful twirler. He found his proper
position when the coach az Holy Cross
placed him at shortstop. 1t was the
showing that he made in that all Inn
portant station in the infield that finally
got Connie Mack upon his trail
Connie Macks watchful brother. Tom.
had been keeping his eye on Barry for
some timeA but he didn't give the high
sign" to Cornelius till the spring of 1905
By this time Jack had signified his In
tention Of taking up baseball as q career.
and had the Boston club made any effort
to secure him 1t would have been an
easy task to have landed him.
But the big league call came from
Quaker town and Barry had to respond.
Early in June the Athletics came to Bos-
ton to open up a series and Connie Mack
hurried up to Holy Cross to sign up his
new acquisition, and on June Is, Jack
Barry signed the papers that made him
member of the Philadelphia Athletic
team.
Although Barry had now become a
member of the Connie Mack family, he
was not to get his chance 10 show right
away. That IL not the way that the
Athletics leader starts his men out. An
novices must wait their turn after Join
ing the Athletic outfit. no matter what
promise they may give or how brightly
they may hare shone in minor ranks.
So. after the Mack team struck Phiiadel-
phia, Barry was forced 10 sit upon the
bench in spite of his eagerness to get
into the game and show his class
shortAeld Wen Cared For.
At the time of Barry's entrance into
the American League, the shortfield posi-
ton for Philadelphia was being taken
care of by the veteran Nichols. The
latter was just beginning to slow up and
it was for this reason that Connie had
lured the young collegian into the field.
Mack knew that 1t was a question of
but a very short time before Nichols
would have to be replaced and he was
taking time by the forelock.
For the first two weeks or 30 Barry
was allowed to participate in the reg
ular infield practice, and even suffered
to take his turnGat the bat. privilege
not always accorded to substitutes and
recruits This was by the order of Con-
ME Mack himself, as the latter figured
that the sooner his new recruit became
accustomed to big-league pitching the
better. But with the end OF practice
Barry resumed his seat upon the bench,
while Nichols and the others took the
field. At first Jack did not appreciate
the value of this bench-warming stunt.
but gradually. as mistakes were made
and Mack corrected these between the
innings, the college recruit realized that
he was learning something. after all. Oc-
casionally Mack took advantage of the
opportunity to point out some minor slip
up by one of the regulars and warn
Barry against such commission
Made Good rs Pinch Runner.
At last, one ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS day
during a game between the Athletics
and the Tigers, Mack sent Barry out to
run for Jack Lapp. This was in the
ninth inning Of very close contest. The
Mackmen were one run behind. and Lapp,
who had been sent in to hit for the
pitcher, had managed to work the OPP
posing twirIer for a base on balls. With
one run needed to tie, Barry was sent
to take Lapp's place upon the sacks.
BE careful" warned Connie; I'VE don't
a man around"
He bided his chance and then. after