The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-28
CONNIE MACK'S
REBUILT Team
Predicted That Athletics viii Again
be Factor In the American
League Race This
Season.
DEVELOPING PLAYERS
Has Taken Two Years to Teach the
Youngsters Points Of the Game,
Ready for the 1917
Debut.

For two years now baseball fans
have been having q hilarious laugh
at the expense of Connie Mack, man
ager Of the Athletics. But now the
laugh is being turned to admiration.
for the old fox's methods of building
Baseball clubs are beginning to bear
fruit. When Mack broke up his won
derful team at the close of the 1914
season, after the Braves had given
them a beating in the worlds series,
Mack predicted that he would have
new baseball club ready to fight for
ball games by 1917 He gave him
self two seasons in which to rebuild
the grand machine he had wrecked.
And the elongated managers claims
IRE beginning to be realized. Already
he has assembled the main players
who will make up the 1917 team with
which he hopes to pull out OF the Gel
lar. Three men have been purchased
10 help out the green players who
have been learning the game under
Mack's guidance Ping Bodie, once
with the White Sox, but more recent
py with the San Francisco Pacific
Coast league club. is the most prom
anent of the trio. Outfielder Thrash
ers OF the South Atlantic league. is
smother, and Mack has picked up a
third baseman named Bates, also from
the coast The latter is said to be
the hest third baseman in the minors.
isss
Mack has great confidence in the
Ability OF his two new outfielders.
He declares Bodie was not properly
handled in Chicago. He charges
Jimmy Callahan was riding the fence
buster instead of helping him along
at critical moments. His own meth
DDS, he believes, will make a valuable
asset of Bodie. In the tnfield Mack
has at least one man who is rated
high. And il Stuffy McInnis decides
to retire or is turned over to some
other club, Mack still has first base
man in Poindexter, youth who Is
doing well in learning points Of the
game. Otis Lawry is a brilliant col
legian who Is expected to develop
class as a second baseman.
Lawton Witt, who has been hold
ing down the shortstop job for Mack
most OF the season, is regarded as a
coming star by many big league
manager This youth has played with
dazzling brilliancy and has hit re
markably well for youngster. 1t is
certain that he, at least, will fit into
the place Mack has picked for him.
Bates, regarded by Clark Griffith
as the seasons find. will be at THIRD
base.
Two Strong Pitchers.
A pitching staff having for its heat
liners two hurlers like Bush ant
Myers is bound to be strong. Be
sides these two there are Majors ant
Sheehan, who have been tried ant
found to possess class. Jing Johnson
the sensational young right handle
from Ursinus college. already ha
won his spurs in fast company.
Wallie Schang probably will b.
sent back to his old station behint
the bat next season and will have tw'
excellent understudies in Haley ant
Myers.
Mack insists his famous machine
with which he romped through tn
American league a few years age
did not show the promise his preser
material did when he first assemble
it. And 1t Is doubtful il the Who'll
present outfit has cost Mack $4,000
c;o,,x Citv'a high school Opene