Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-19
MACK WILL HAVE
WINNING TEAM In
1917, CRITIC
Connie Has Material to Pro-
duce Pennant Contender,
Explains Ripley
PRAISE NOW FOR CLU B


have a winning team on the neid IN 1917
seems about TO materiallEe. Connie has
gathered together a collection OF youngsters
and minor league veterans which, aodeu
to his present collection, almost is certain
TO produce results next season. Apropos
Of this, Robert l.. Ripley, In the New YORK
Globe, comments as follows:
"'rhe loud laughter that everywhere
greets the Athletics of Connie Mack soon
will bo heard no more. In fact the mirth
about has died down already into muir
mer Of praise. Next year the wise old
Connie can give an Imitation OF he who
laughs last.
When Mack broke up his famous PEN
nant winning ball club two years ago he
predicted that by 1917 he woud be ready
TO make bid for another pennent In the
meantime. while the stupendous task OF as
scmbling another machine from the many
parts picked up among the bushes, he ex-
peoted 20 be laughed at But he held his
tongue and went about work-work that
no other manager would have the heart to
tackle
Right now Mack has q good ball team.
Next year will find him in the frst division,
anyway, and as he predicted, making bid
for the pennant"
Three Still in Minors
THE Athletics leader has tried out up
ward of 200 youngsters in the past two
years. His 1917 lineup almost is completed
Three players with whom Mack hopes to
complete his Herculean task are still In
the minors.
These three upon whom Mack is bank
ing so heavily are Outhelder Ping Bodte.
one-time White Sox and now with the Ner-
non Club, Of the Pacific Coast League
Outhelder Thrasher. of tho Atlantic Club.
of the Southern Association and Third
Baseman Bates also of the coast Thrasher
and Bates will report to Mack for a try
can k,,,N naAf nINah xnyln nnf
be seen in an Athletic uniform until next
| spring.
Bates is said TO be the best third base
| man developed in any minor league In the
| last two years Thrasher is regarded as the
| leading outhelder of his circuit, and Mack
| is convinced that he can make a valuable
| IL not a great ball player out of Bodie.
'Bode is hitting around 1926 out In the
| coast league and playing great ball. Mack
| thinks that Callahans rough-shod methods
| ruined Bodie when the latter was with the
| White Sox and that with the proper han
brought back.
Flashy in Field
THE infield lines up with stuny Nc
Innis, one OF the few remaining veterans
| nt first base: Otis Lawry, a brilliant col
legian, who has been prevented by illnesi
| and injuries from demonstrating his tru,
| worth as a second baseman; Lawton Witt
the most improved young shortstop in thu
country and a coming star, and Bates. re
garded by Clark Grlfith as the third-bas'
find of the season.
'If Bates pans out to Comics expecta
| tlons, Mack will have one OF the finest I'm
fields in the country. fast both afied ant
on the bases and with exceptional battinI
power spread here and there. 1t may not
probably will not. measure up to the oil
$1,000 quartet. but just after Bates wa
corralled Mack himself announced that n
expected his 1917 inheld to compare
shade more than favorably with any he ha,
ever put together
so much for the flelders. For his pitch
ing stan, Mack will have Joe Bush. one o
the best in his league Elmer Myers, on
of this seasons most brilliant finds Jac
Nabors and Tom Sheehan, whose abiltie
rise far above anything that their record
would seem to indicate, and Jingling John
son, the sensational young highlander fror
Ursinus College.
Schang to Don Mask
Taken by and large, this quintet com
prisss a stronger heaving corps than Mac
has put upon the field since Eddie Plank
Chief Bender and Jack Coombs were q
their best in 1918. Wally schang. of cours,
will return to his old station back of tn
plate as first string catcher and will wor
every day. AS emergency backstops Mac
viii have Haley and Picinieh.
"On his remodelsd team Mack will hav
only four players who were members of tn
championship ensemble when he started (
rip things wide open In the fall of 1914
At least eleven of his new regulars will
players who have been dug out of the co
leg ranks or the bushes within the last tw
years, and only one-Ping Bodie--has COZ
Mack a considerable around of money. Som
Of the more promising OF them cost onl
| their carfare TO Philadelphia"