The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-11-03
CONNIE MACK RELEASES
FAMOUS BASE BALL TRIO
Fans Surprised That Players Who
Helped Win American League PEN
nantS Were Dismissed.

All the baseball world received
with a gasp of keen surprise the an
nouncement that Eddie Plank, Char
les Albert (Chief) Bender, and John
J. (Jackl Coombs. than whom
greater trio of pitchers never per
formed at one time for the Athletics,
had their names erased from the
roster Of the team they helped win
five American League pennants. The
famous trio was released outright by
Manager Connie Mack.
The three names which are Synon-
omous wherever the great national
game is played were stricken from
Athletics roster Immediately after
Manager Mack learned that Hughey
Jennings, leader of the Detroit T1s-
ers. had broken confidence by letting
it be known that waivers had been
asked on the veteran three. A more
sensational announcement has sell
dom euveloped baseball circles. Mack
scored Jennings bitterly for breaking
confidence and from the tone of his
interview it is apparent considerable
friction exists between the managers.
The passing of Jack Coombs was
least of all a surprise. He has been
of little service to the dethroned
champions of the baseball universe
the past two seasons because of an
injury that dates back to the worlds
series of 1911 with the New York
Giants
Those on the inside of the baseball
doings were stunned when Mack
made it known that Plank and Ben
der were released. 1t is the general
belief that this trio possesses cum
ming enough to warrant playing in
the big leagues for several seasons to
come. Mack made it clear that this
trio Of old standbys was not turned
loose because of their failure to win
in the recent baseball classic with
the Boston Braves.
One of the three pitchers, Mack
said, had approached him with the
statement that he was doing bust
ness with the Federal League and
that he received an offer so large
that he did not think the Philadel-
phia management would meet it.
Mack said he suggested to this pitch
er, whose name he would not give,
League club that would meet the
Federals' figures.
Plank, who is at his home at Get
tysburg, Pa, admitted over the tele-
phone that it was he who had been
made an offer by the Federal Lea
que. He said he was surprised to
learn that Mack had asked for waiv-
ers on him.
The three pitchers who will no
longer wear the uniform of the Ath-
letics did wonderful work in their
careers as pitchers. Each has figur-
ed as a hero in worlds series games
Plank, acknowledged as one of the
greatest left-handers that ever pit
ched ball, joined the Athletics in
1901, and figured in the winning of |
six American League pennants. His |
best performance in a worlds series |
was in 1913, when he won from the |
New York Giants, allowing the Ma |
tional Leaguers two hits in the final |
game
Bender Joined the team in 1902 |
and was known as the sure-money''
pitcher in every worlds series. He |
won games in all of them except in |
the series with the Boston Nationals |
this year.
Coombs has not pitched much for
two years. He was injured in a
worlds series game in New York in |
1911, and never fully recovered He |
has record of winning a 24-inning |
game against the Boston Americans. |
Coombs earned the title of Iron |
Man" in pitching the Athletics to
three victories against the Chicago
Cubs in the worlds series of 1910.
PERSONAL.
Will the person who tok Mrs. Coch- |