The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-12-09
Connie Mack's Great Machine
Being Shattered For Sake of
the dough"
ARTIFICIAL PENNANT
RACE, JOHNSON'S PLAN
Great Second-Baseman Trans
planted to Vie With Chifed's
New Pitcher
BY HAROLD v. WILCOX.

Ban Johnson, car OF the American
league and all organized baseball, has
sent Eddie Collins TO the Chicago
White Sox as circus attraction
That, and the desire TO break up the
greatest baseball machine the game
has known in recent years, IL the
sum and substance OF the deal that
startled the sporting world yesterday.
Since Walter Johnson jumped TO
the Chicago Federals, Owner Comis-
key and the south side cohorts have
seen visions of coolies or gate receipts
bound for Charley Weeghman park,
and the visions caused vertigo OF the
bankroll. Comiskey straightway yell
ed for help. and Ban Johnson. his pal
and the man with the SAY So" de-
creed that Collins should be trans
planted to the city where he would
do the most for the magnates' trea-
sure chest. The star OF the 100000
infleld win probably be worth many
thousands of dollars more to the
league in Chicago than he would in
Philadelphia. That is why he was
sent there. 1t is a beautiful common
tary on the commerc -4lism into which
professional baseball has been plung-
ed.
II Is deemed probable that the Feds
viii invade New York. II Is said,
upon very fair authority, that the
outlaws have already secured park.
IL the Feds do invade Manhattan, Ban
johnson will at once pick flock OF
stars from the other teams OF the
American league and hand them TO
the Yankees as more circus attrac-
tons. Divide up the stars to get the
money. is his decree, and the shipping
OF Collins to Chicago Is the first OF
its fruits. Home Run Baker will
1e the next TO go, and II Johnson
wants others OF Connie Mack's stars,
he will have little trouble in getting
them. For baseball stars will earn
more for the league and the owners
In other cities than they will In Phil
adelphia for the next few years.
This deliberate SCATTERING OF Con-
ME Mack's wonderful baseball ma
chine is one OF the most cold-blooded
things in the history OF baseball. II
is not the trading Of few stars for
others OF more value TO strengthen
the playing prowess or the team. II
is the deliberate weakening OF a team
soOthat other teams can win more
games and draw more shekels TO the
strong box.
Connie Mack's Athletics are re-
markable tribute to the genius OF
their leader. He secured his stars as
green material for almost pittance.
He made them, and made the team.
He developed one of the three or four
greatest diamond machines In base
balls history. Year in and year out.
IL continued TO win, not because the
cards were stacked for 1t, but because
IL had the class. And now, because
the people have tired little OF its
consistent success, ID Is TO be broken
up and scattered TO the money cen
tiers.
The American league had the choice
of fghting the Athletics. just as the
Boston Braves fought them last fall.
until the great team was humbled on
the diamond. 1t also had the choice
OF breaking 1t up ana artihctally ere
ating q pennant race that VIII be
thrilling, but at the same time, moth
ing more than vaudeville bill for
the fans The first course would
have been in the interest OF real
sport. The second will bring more
money. The second was chosen, and
yet the magnates would have US be
lieve that ball players were a MERGE
nary lot of horse thieves, and owners
and directors an aggregation OF be-
nevolent gentlemen who had the real
interests OF sport at heart Bosb'