New Britain herald., 1915-04-26
Sp0yf0graphy
BIZ "GRAVY."
JACK BARRY, % TO-DAY. ONE OF
MANY OF MACK'S RAH-
RAH BOYS

his name to official documents, but
everybody in our set calls him
Jack The eminent shortstop of
the Athletics, who has been called by
some critics the greatest shortstop Of
the post-Wagnerian era, was born in
Meriden, Conn. twenty eight years
ago today, April IS. 1887. Three
years before the infant Barry made
his mundane debut in Meriden, a
young fellow who answered to the
name of Cornelius McGillicuddy COM
menced his baseball career in the
same city. Connie had gone away
from the scene Of his first triumph
tefore Jack arrived, but the fact that
Barry was a native OF Meriden may
have had some influence in inducing
the wise old pilot OF the Athletics to
give Jack try-out on his Well known
baseball club.
Like so many others of the Mackian
brigade, Barry is a college man. AL
though Connie himself didn't know
what the inside of a college looked
like when he was a lad, he has al
ways had q fondress for the rah-rah
lads Many of the most celebrated
Mackmen, past and present, have alb
sorbed intellectual nutriment from the
higher founts Of learning. Chief
Bender assimilated much knowledge
and lore at Carlisle and Dickinson
college, and Eddie Plank emitted the
yell of Gettysburg college. Jack
Coombs was Colby college man.
Pitcher Wyckoff halls from Bucknen
college, and Lloyd Davies twirled for
Amherst college. Eddie Collins was
Columbus university student when
Mack grabbed him. Old Harry Davis
vas educated at Girard college, and
Bill Kopf was a member of the FORD
ham college team when MACK signed
him. Murphy was Villanova col
legian when Connie put the Athletlc
brand on him. Harry Krause' one
time Mackian southpaw, was a grad
uate of q California college.
Rarry's alma mater was Holy Cross
college, at Worcester, Mass. and there
he played every infeld position. He
was only fair-to- middling sort or
PLAYER. and only the keen eye or Con-
ME Mack could have detected the
making in him of a major league star.
The old Eagle Eyes Of Ph1ladelphia
saw the stuff in Barry, however, ana
in the autumn of 1908 he filed away
in his archives a contract bearing the
signature of the college lad. Jack
warmed the bench most OF the time
the remainder OF that season, but was
given a few try-outs at second base.
Connie quickly discovered that short
stop was Barry's natural job. and in
that position he was one of the stars
OF the famous Athletic infield.
Delving in the grand old dope, one
discovers that 1t was fourteen years
ago today, April rs, 1901, that the
sporting extras first carried the infor-
nation that the Giants had won a
game with Mathewson in the box
Young Christopher. fresh from the
Virginia State league, succeeded in
defeating Brooklyn by score OF to
3. his opponent in the box being
ono wild William Donovan, now the
pilot of the New York Yankees
Mathewson was drafted by Cincin-
natl at the close OF the 1900 season,
but the Reds snapped him to the
Giants, receiving In exchange Amos
Rusie, the fast-fading star of a past
era. Mathewson's record during his
first annum with the Giants was not
particularly brilliant but. in the course
of time, he developed into a very fair
pitcher. Oh, yes, very fair!