The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-20
Peerless Initial Sacker Goes to Red Sox-Was Star of
 Great Athletics
MACK'S MEN MADE
 WONDERFUL RECORD
Complete Disintegration of Worlds Greatest Baseball Team Featured Last Trade-Ability of Men
 Clearly Shown in Figures

New York, January 19.-The trade which serds John "Stpffy' McInnis to the Boston American League club marks the complete dsintegration of what in many respects was the greatest professional baseball machine ever assembled in either of the major leagues. McInnis, the last cog in the combination, moves on to a rival team which has absorbed 50 per cent. of the players whom Connie Mack welded into an invincible group of dia- mond stars. supreme holders of pennants and world championships
 The Philadelphia Athletics reached the zenith of their team. play during the season of 1913 when they simply walked away with the American league cham pionship of that year and followed the capture of the pennant with a decisive victory over the New York Nationals fin the world series of that season by four games to one. The Athletics fin ished the regular season with a record of 96 games won, 57 lost and a percent age of .627. This was 43 points better than the average of the Washington team, which closed the year in second Nlace.
 Connie Mack's players took the lead in the pennant race during the second week of the season. which opened about the middle of April, 1913, and were never headed or tied in the struggle for the title thereafter. The records show that the Athletics led the league in team batting with .2S5 and in fielding with .966.
 STRONGEST COMBINATION
 It goes without saying that Mack would naturally present his strongest combination in the worlds series and the lineup against the Giants in the battle for the premier baseball honors of 1913 may be taken as the best and most pow erful arrangement available This con- bination, which defeated the New York team four out of five games, played as follows: E. Murphy, right field; Oldring left field Collins, second base; Baker third base; McInnis, first base; Strunk center field; Barry, shortstop; Schang, catcher; Lapp. catcher; Bender, Plank or Bush, pitcher. During the regular sea son other players were used and were factors in winning the pennant, but the men mentioned were the pick of the combination.
 Today not ono of these 12 players is a member of the team, and Connie Mack is engaged In an attempt to rebuild his baseball machine with new material Murphy was sold to the Chicago Ameri- cans for $6000; Collins went to the same PtOtvVv consideration.
 The Boston Americans took five men of the combination at one time or an- other. Strunk. Schang and Bush became the property of the Red Sox in the re- cent s6o,000 deal. McInnis has followed his former teammates as the result of the latest trade, although so far as Is knowr no money consideration is involved Barry preceded these players to Boston bringing the Philadelphia club sS5O0, an6 last season managed the Red Sox.
 SALES PLENTIFUL
 It will be seen that if the publicl, announced figures in connection wit these deals are correct the Boston clu paid s6S,500 in addition to some player for these five Athletics. The Chicag White Sox paid $560 for Murphy an, Collins. The New York Americans als contributed to the Philadelphia strong box, as the Yankee club owners gay &S7,5O0 for Baker and s50O0 for Oldring although it was reported later that tn Philadelphia club returned this sum, o portion of it, when Oldring failed t continue with the New York team Tn two pitchers, Bender and Plank. wer unconditionally released by Manage Mack, thus completing the breaking u of the famous combination.
 The disruption of the Athletics als formed one of the most sensational fea lures or modern DaSepall history. Tn team started poorly at the beginning c the 1914 season, but swung into its strid early in June and again cantered hom an easy pennant winner The Athletic were favorites to defeat the Boston Ma tionals in the world series, but tn Braves startled the baseball world b defeating the Maclmen four straigh games, thus establishing a record in thi department of the national sport
 Manager Mack did not attempt to hid his chagrin at this unexpected setbacl and without entering into discussio of the causes of the downfall decide that drastic changes were necessary. took him three years to complete tn dispersal of the famous baseball ms chine, but the passing of McInn!s close
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