Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-19

TNHE story Of Connie Mack forms one Of
the greatest dramas that baseball has
ever known Baseball being a game of
swift action and intense emotion, has al
ways been ohoclSful of the dramatic.
But we know of nothing in all the wide
and winding realm of sport that quite
parallels the case of the eminent Phila-
delphian.
Speaking Of Ups and Downs
Here is n man who stands as the only
living manager that ever won six PEN
nants and three world championships.
One who for four years had ball club
that almost wrecked the league by its
overpowerng strength
Here is this same manager plotting
bail club that finished, last a year ago and
today looks to be the weakest machine In
the major leagues Connie is almost sure
TO finish a bad last once more. We doubt
IL all the dynamite used at Nerdun could
lift him higher than the cellar abode he
now adorns.
Leader of Extremes
Apparently Fate has doomed Manager
Mack to be a leader of wide extremes. The
games allotted destiny has doomed him to
have a ball club that is either too good
or too bad for the game. And, lest 1t be
forgotten the span of his great clubs is
far longer than the regime of his poor
ones. No man in baseball has done more
for the game and has cotton less In the
way of financial reward
Only look at the individual stars he has
developed-PlanlS, Coombs, Bender Col
Inns, Baker, Barry, McInnis, Schang. Old
ring. Strunl, Dygert, Murphy. Davis and
many others. No man has given cleaner
or better baseball. and yet today, beyond
80, when he should be reaping the reward
of wonderful achievement, he is starting
all over again. with little profit back OF
him for the great years he has known.
The Situation
We wonder how Mack feels today with
club doomed to last place when he
looks about him.
There Is Boston, n pennant contender
through a star that he developed-Jack
Barry.
There is Chicago. another strong PEN
nant possibility. through another of his
stars-Eddie Collins.
There Is New York, out of the rut at
last, through the strength impaired by
Baker, still another of his pupils.
OF the four clubs that have the best
chance to win n flag, three owe the bulk
of their puissance to the man who is now
q mere trailer in the game.
The fact that he was paid for these
stars has no Significance when 1t is known
his Investment, with six pennant years
behind him. If he could make no money
with n pennant winner, where is his for
tune to come from with tailender?
The Ways of Fate
The ways of fate are beyond all under
standing. The man who financed the
American League. the man who stood
chance to lose SEA, 900 and not make a
cent, has been crowded out through money
troubles. We refer. TO Charlie Somers.
The man who has given the American
League its greatest glory from the play
ing standpoint, Connie Mack. is now
headed so swiftly for the Subterranean
Country that nothing can check his
descent
1t was the machine built up by Mack
that stopped the wild charge of the Ma
tional League and prevented the younger
circuit from being known as dependent
body. The Giants had won the world
championship in 1905. Cubs and Pirates
had utterly crushed the American League
winners in 1907 1908 and 1903. The
National League had won the interleague
series four years out of five. And then
Mack arrived with his legion in 1910
dismantled the Cubs and whipped the
Giants to a froth thereby re-establlshing
his circuit in the hearts of fandom.
Building Back
No game, can keep men like Connie
Mack and John McGraw down very long.
Both are fine organizers-team builders
and though suppressed for a spell will get
their balance again and start moving up
ward. We recall the club that Mack sent
West just 10 years ago 1t was one
OF the poorest looking machines big
league club ever had in the field. 1t was a
joke outfit in almost every particular. But
two years later Connie was giving Hughie
Jennings September battle for the top,
and two years after that he had the world
series champions.
Yes it's zig-zag course baseball takes
ANY SLIT nMm On