Evening star., 1914-10-12

Why does Connie Mack endure the
worry and stick to the bench when he
at least could place some of the burden
on other shoulders and still get his
Simply ambition. friends.
Connie admits it.
AS a boy little Cornelius McGillicuddy
longed to become ball player. He did
show some class as a catcher. and then
he aimed to become a big Lacquer
Hard work landed him with the WASH
ington and Pittsburgh clubs, and next
he decided that he would not be happy
until he was a manager. The berth
was his before he really hoped for 1t
he led the Pirates, and later Milwaukee,
OF course, as a manager, Macks goai
was that of every other big league pilot
the pennant. He captured the flag soon
after the American League was born ana
he had advanced to Philadelphia lsoA.
Then, besides the Unsuitable appeute Ios
pennants which was developed in him, ne
had the worlds championship as an honor
to be attained. He won the American
league title in 1905, but the Giants licked
his club in the big series.
'.Pn never quit base Dali untii nave
won a worlds SERIES" Connie said to
himself after that disappointment He
had to wait some time before he got the
to get into another post-sea-
son struggle. however. 1t was not untii
1910 that he finished first in the Amen.
the base ball machine of the Chicago Cubs
and hung his first world championship
banner on the pole at Shibe Park
That may have been the psychological
time to slip of the harness and become
a spectator, you say. Yes, but Old AM
bition still occupied a prominent place
on the bench at Shibe Park. Mack had
not forgotten that licking John McGraw
gave him back in 1905. and he feit that
the opportunity for revenge would come.
next year. 1911. And the Athletics com
pletely vanquished the Giants. That
might have been the chance to quit the
game. But hold!
Frank Chance, the CUBS leader mao
won two worlds base ball crowns. Con-
nie had tied that record, but he want
ed to beat it. He did not gain his am
bition in 1912. the Boston RED Sox Slip
ping over the wire ahead OF his team
But in 1913 the Athletics won their
fifth American League championship,
and by conquering the New YORK: Ma.
tional League club added their third
worlds title.
tirement story, was it not? No, Connie
saws il was not. His principal rival
among the big league managers, John
McGraw, had won five pennants. Neo
Hanlon, Pop" Arson and other great
base Dali thcticidHs "a osASi Nsa =,
had been in the van five times: IL
would never do, Mack said, to quit the
game tied with those men. He wanted
to establish a new record.
He did it, too The Athletics, by viz
tue of having been the victors in the
American League battle, are at present
engaged in a world series with the Bos-
ton Braves. McGraw's team stubbed its
toe, and Mack now stands alone as tne
winner of six pennants-his ambition
has been satisfied on that score.
But it seems there always are more
worlds to conquer in base ball VI tne
modern teams. the Cubs the Giants.
the Pirates and the Tigers have won
three pennants In succession: None OF
No big league club has done 1t. NC.
Graw believed he could accomplish IL
this season, but his team slumped when
almost under the wire, and the Braves
nosed out.
ner of six pennants and three world
champion ships-with prospects OF a
fnnrtbNstill not completely satisfied.
He wants to win four American League
flags in q row and then. indeed, nave
locked in the safe at Shike Park all
the base ball records worth while
viii he accomplish his ambition: POS
sibly he will, since he appears apie 70
do everything in base ball just pit
better than any other manager But
not quit the Athletics then. No. he'll
whisper some words in Comics ear
which will create an appetite for more
worlds, and he will go on and on-neV-
er quite satisfied.
That is the secret. That is why Con-
ME Mack couldn't retire if he would
and wouldn't retire II he could.