Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-04-28
BY JAMES !. ConnEr"r.

This is the story OF Connie Mack: of
= his start in baseball in the almost for
gotten past; story rcpletc with anec-
dotes concerning his playing days: a
tale that gives his hitherto unexpected
impressions of the game. his ideas as
to the worth while plays and players
OF all time And it is a story that
reveals, TOO. the secret OF Connie
Mack's amazing success as a leader of
diamond athletes.
No man in all the years that baseball
has endured. has risen 70 the helShtS
reached by the wizard leader OF the
has accomplished one baseball miracle
after another. AS long as the game
lasts. Connie Mack Will hc rcmcmpered
as one OF its most remarkable figures.
And, strange as ii may seem, Mack
became a big league manager twenty.
i've years ago. much against his Viii
and extremely doubtful Of his ability
TO succeed.
Giants wcnithicst Club.
only one diamond leader can be men
toned In the same breath OF accom-
plshmcnt as Connie Mack. And that
man is John Mcciraw. Eut there ia a
vast difference In the conditions under
which each has worked.
McGraw has been connected for sew,
cntccn years with the wealihiest bah
club in the world Its Golfers ever
, have been opcn TO his demands. When
: ever tho Giant ch!efjlan needed
Graw got him. No price was too high
. for the Giant owners to pay for an
. athlete i McCraw needed that man.
year ON year ny players who were
brought to the fore by other mana gers
Mack Develops Players.
But with Mack the conditions have
been in direct contrast with The cX-
1901. every Nlackian crew has been
developed by the remarkable Irshman.
hulging in its proportions. Connie
couldn't. If he would, buy ready made
stars. The club bankroll never would
have stood UP under such a strain.
future greats from the sand lots, the
college campuscs and the bushes or
become a failure. He succeeded in a
way that has bewildcrcd the baseball
world.
Lack OF money first OF all. forced
me into The work Of developing young
stcrs and love for that sort of work
has Kept me At 1t ever since" declared
connie Mack. tile other day, in dis
cussng his career as "A player and As
managcr.
No Cash Was Available.
When took charge Of the Athletics
~ their first year in the American
League. the team was made up largely
o.! men who had jumped from the Ma
iiOnal during the war with that cir
cult. About all our available cash
WAS used then in the acquisition of
muse payers.
'Rca!!%!ng that there was no money
t" buy new talent. and that many o.:
my players would fade out OF the big
leagues within a few years, l had to
start T!Eht then and there in the de-
Nc!opmcnt OF Youngsters. We didn't
have enough cash TO 20 ahead and buy
n mjndr isor siaTs from from The opno'Gh
work with nothing hut the grecncst
kind OF material in The building UP
OF a new ball club that was 10 replace
the old
Great Patience Needed.
Every manager who attempts :he
[ennest@Fs * kno oai SiHHs ~!Eh Hntrisd
must bc exercised. The manager must
become accustomed to hitter dsap-
3oin;n rnis The old expression many
are called. but few are chosen. CO.
Amy applies 10 baseball. Countless
thousands OF youngsters have had big
r league chances during the past twenty
years All looked good a, the b gin
ling All seemed worthy OF "A biz
l."Eue chance, Bur about % per cent
ooscUrIty.
Some Of the boys l have tried out
locked lih- pncnOmcnonS at FIRST Eut
they ial!ri. lie seemed 10 have every
natur!' qualification OF a big Lacquer.
! WORKED patiently Win that boy, de-
NcJnG hour. DAYS and weeks 10 him.
gave nun every chance in The world,
but he failed Ana al! the hours that
nag given to him were wasted effort.
"Hut when one yOuugStcr out OF
every twenty succeeds when the one
boys becomes real star there's 10Y
enough in that 10 rccompense for ali
the bitterness that results in the fail
urc OF nineteen.
Affords Connie Pleasure
Il developed my players because Of
necessity at first, but now / do it be
cause II affords lnc the greatest pleas
uie mat get on OF baseball There
is a fascination in ii for me. ] look
upon every newcomer 10 nay club a.
just another boy OF mine; ono who
needs help ana my advice and m,
guidance. feel toward each a sense
IF responsibility such as father feels
Tor his son.
Some youngsters get several league
Trials, others get but one. And If tina
hoy 5 chance comes while lac is in al
"thlet.c uniform feel that everything
should be done 10 help him make good
don exercise SNAP judgment viii
pal! players II Seems 10 me !, poo
practice Many boys. getting their biz
league opportunity, are very nervous
through The first few days and ncvc
snow al their best l. isn't justice I.
use their work during That period :;
a bass for decision.
u Try 10 treat all the youngstcr
who come 10 me in the same way tina
I'd like 10 have my son treated II n
We're aspiring TO a job IN a big leagu
iforn.''--COpyright. 1919. KING Fca
lures Syndicate. Inc.