The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-05-26
CONNIE MACK CREATOR Oh PElVVANI!1lNNlVG
NFIELDS, HAS ANOTHER IN THE MAKING!
BY PAUL PUTNAM.

II Connie Backs plans work out the
fans Of a couple Of years hence will be
speaking Of Grover and Witt as one
81 the greatest defensive keystone
sack combinations in baseball.
Since he has been in baseball Mack
has succeeded In developing two great
combinations around second base,
Murphy and Monte Cross and Collins
and Barry. Just now he is trying to
get the same kind Of a combination out
of his two young infielders, who al.
ready show signs Of future brilliance.
Both Witt and Grover are very
young. This. year is the latter's first
break into major league circles. Witt
played last year
Although they do not show the pol
ish Of many older infielders in the
league they do show they are develop
ing along the same lines that made the
Collins Barry combination fatal to any.
thing hit down In their territory.
Their cooperation is superb and
they think quickly, grasping situations
more quickly than, many other short
stops and second basemen Of far more
experience.
Mack is very confident Of their abil-
lty to ultimately produce the same kind
a Of fine tight infield play that he deVel.
oped in the Cross-Murphy, Collins.Bar.
/ ~ combinations.
Z 1T takes more than mechanical abil.
lily to produce the proper results
around second base" Mack said. ut
takes brains and the ability for close
cooperation. believe will get all
three in Witt and Grover"
1t is one Of Mack's beliefs that a
great ball club cannot be developed
without great second base combina.
lion.
He cites Ferris and Parent Of the
did Boston club. Cross and Murphy and
tSlllns and Barry of his own clubs.
Tinker and EYers of the Cubs, Barry
and Scott OF the Red Sox and Maran.
vile and Evers of the 1914 Braves.
To these might be added SChaeffer
and 0'Leary of Detroit, for several
years considered one Of the best sec.
ond base combinations in the American
league and who we're in no small de.
gree responsible for Detroit winning
The American league flag three years
in succession.
1t Is difficult to judge the effective.
ness OF an infielder under the present
system of averages but records show
tho number Of chances made by the
FEEDERS who have passed from the
game and whose real work Is only
memory
The combinations Just mentioned
handled everything that came to the
middle OF the diamond. Some have
been credited with errors on haru
chances they went after and missed
and the records show that the really
tight infield is often an infield with
more errors than one which does not
play such tight baseball.
The records uphold Mack's conten.
ton that the great ball club mrst have
a great second base.shortstop combi.
nation.
Mack has been a great developer of
tnfielders. In addition 70 his short
stops-and second basemen he develop
ed two great third basemen. Lave
Cross and Frank Baker, and is now
making good third sacker out of Ray
Bates sent back to the minors from
Cleveland as a misfit. He made two
great initial sackers, Harry Davis and
Stuffy McInnis.
Past history has often repeated in
baseball. Do not be surprised if Mack
comes through with another fast sec
Ond base combination.