Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-16
BAKERS DEALINGS
WITH CONNIE MACK.
Great Slugger Tells in His Own Words
the Season He Forsoke the AthIe-

was the big event of recent diamond
history. In the May issue of the Base
in his own words the reasons which
led him to forsake a pennant winning
club for the farm.
Baker says:
81 hope Mack can get ten men as
good as I am, or better, to fill the
place. 1 wish him all the luck in the
world. Mack has always treated me
fairly, but 1 owe him no debt. I have
treated him as fairly as he has treated
me.
There isn't anything to be gained
by such talk. 1 don't know whether
or not Mack has said all the things he
has been reported as saying. But
there have been mistakes made some
where.
1T was reported in the press that
Mack made the statement that he had
to come down to Trappe every year to
sign me, and that the last time he told
me it was too much trouble to go to
that effort every season and he would
like to avoid it by signing me for three
years. 1 don't believe Mack made this
statement. The only time he ever
came to Trappe in his life was when
he came to sign me for three years.
And he came then because he was
afraid the Federal League might be
after me and he wanted to forestall
their efforts. There is no mystery
Il had always signed a contract for
one year at a time. This seemed the
fairest way to me. Then, if I had a
better season than I expected, I would
be in a position to ask for more money,
while if 1 did not, I would never be ad-
verse to accepting a cut. That state
ment will not be believed. but it is
true. I would not willingly take more
money than I thought 1 was worth. If
I was a dub player and by good
Pow H. IL Ill
up for five thousand dollars a year I
| wouldn't have the face to take my
salary If 1 knew it was all out of
| reason and more than I was worth.
This time Mack, however. wanted
me to sign for three years. He told
me his reasons. 1 tried to argue with
| him and told him that he needn't be
| afraid of my leaving him in the lurch
and jumping to the Federal League.
| had no intention of going to the
Federal League, and in any case I
would always be willing to work for
him for less money than I would work
| anywhere else. That was what I told
| him then and I still say it, I would
work for the Athletics cheaper than 1
would work for anybody else.
Il told him that I didn't want to sign
for more than one year. That l
couldn't foresee what the conditions
| would be at that time. AS long as
| conditions were the same as when l
signed it might be possible to arrange
things. But these conditions might
| change. And if they did, as was not
| unlikely. they would change the nature
| of the contract.
| Mack pressed me, however, to sign
am easy-going, guess. At any rate
I didn't refuse him. 1 signed the con-
| tract. But told him when I did SO
| that I would quit the game at the end
of the year. I had that right If ]
was dissatisfied I had no right to GO
| back on my contract and demand a
new agreement if the conditions were
unsatisfactory. But 1 did have the
| right to quit if I wanted to- especially
as I reserved that right at the time and
| told Mack it was my intention to do so
| Later in the summer there was a
| good deal of trouble over the ten-day
clause. The Federal League was MAX
ing capital out of this clause and the
owners were signing the players all
| over again to other contracts with the
| clause omitted. Mack was doing the
same thing. He had trouble with Col
| Inns and McInnes and some of the rest
in getting them to agree to the change
And he had to pay them more money
for their consent to the new arrange
ment- I knew the trouble he was hav-
| ing with some of his players, ana i
felt rather sorry for him. 1t is an
| exasperating thing to be manager
| The player has only one man to deal
or more. And it is a hard job to keep
them all satisfied.
| 81 knew this, so when he came to me
| and asked me to have my contract re-
written I told him to do whatever he
| wanted to do with it. I made no at
tempt to hold him up in any way ]
dislike to mention this fact. I would
| prefer that Mack should do it. 1 men
| ton it at all merely to show that in
my dealings with him I was never
| trying to hold him up or take him al
a disadvantage.
after the season closed told Mack
| that did not intend to play this sea-
son. The worlds series was a great
disappointment. I don't think, how
| ever, that anyone in recent years has
ever seen the Athletics play a worse
| game than they did during the series
| while, although I can't speak with sc
much certainty on that point. I doubt
If the Braves ever played better
game than they put up in the four bis
| contests. We had been in slump fol
two months and every man played be-
low form. But that, of course, is g
part of baseball. After the season was
over, however, and Plank and Bender
went, 1t put big crimp in our PEN
nant prospects. Eddie Collins goins
hurt the club in speed and perhaps ir
batting, though Lajoie is liable to have
a great year. Still Lajoie is a veteran
of many seasons and Collins is in his
prime. So believe it is impossible tt
fill his place, though no doubt Lajoie
will fill it as nearly as anyone could
All told, however, the conditions which
i existed a year ago are much changed
Then the Athletics were as sure pen.
i nant winner as a club is ever sure IL
II baseball, and the worlds series none,
twas within the reach Of every one o