Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-04
FANS SAID TO Be
DESERVING MACK
Athletics Followers Think
Great Machine Was DELHI
|erateIy Torn Asunder.
REFUSED BIG INCREASES
IN SALARY TO HIS STARS
Connie Now a Fallen Idol-Will He
Come Back by Building An
other Great Team?

SPECIAL Dispatch The Star
PHILADELPHIA, July s.
Thousands OF fans were astound-
ed today at the wall put forth by
Connie Mack, erstwhile idol OF
fandom. in which he sets forth.
through the medium of an after
noon newspaper, the reason why
he scattered throughout the
country his famous pitching staff
and shot to pieces his famous
misunderstanding in
field, giving full credit to the Fed
eral Leagues 42-centimeter guns.
why" said one OF the 1900
fans seated in the grandstand at
Broad street and Huntingdon ave-
nue., while the Phillies were wal
Looping theworld champion Braves,
there's nothing to it; more than
that, Mack is getting back to the
old days when we faithful ones
supported him for years while he
built up team from a bunch OF
kids. These same kids made it
possible to build the magnificent
base ball testimonial known as
Shibe Park. Yet when salaries
began TO soar Connie commenced
to wabble. Federal League,
nothingr'
Lost Much Confidence.
Another dyed-in-the-wool fan, one
of the most prominent sporting goods
men in the city, commented as follows:
Now. who ever could possibly accuse
Connie Mack of being caught mapping
when the team began to slip in 1919?
There were no signs OF slipping till the
Braves mauled the confidence out OF
them.
whoever could imagine a man of
Eddie Plank's caliber proving disloyal
to Mack? Why, when the announcement
was made that he had turned Plank,
Bender and Coombs loose it was solar
plexus, but what has happened since
has simply driven thousands of fans
away from Shibe Park. This is shown
by the attendance and it will be years
before they will be won back every
fan loves Il winner. but true sports
man becomes disguised when a simon
pure derby winner is deliberately put
out of commission"
The story astounded every base bail
70 in, l,tl da1r ,It al
quitter-the man who has been the
very personification of nerve and rug
ged stick-to-itiveness. The idol has
fallen, or rather has let himself drop.
generally held by the public OF the
disintegration of the Athletic machine
that it was deliberate on the part of
Connie Mack to allow it to crumble
and mention facts of happenings at
Shibe Park to bear out the indoor
talk.
Stars Refused Increases.
The start of the breakup came list
August when Eddie Collins and Baker
demanded more money and Mack fatty
with results already chronicisd
of the Athletic stars going broadcast
over the circuit. After Collins went to
Chicago the heart was taken out of tre
old guard and they were fighting a
losing battle and became dishearteued
and were not able to play their usual
game. 1t is related of Herb PennocI.
the young pitcher whom Mack re-
leased to Boston a short time ago. that
Mack called him to account for seem
ing lack of steam and that he replied:
whats the use, with team like that
behind me-"
The next day he was sold to Boston.
The same is said of other former stars,
who were unable to carry the game
through with the weak talent Mack
had filled into the vacant places in his
ma chine.
AS said before, Connie Mack seems to
~ q % Iar idol Will he Come ha ok