Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-02
BY JAMES }. CoRBEr"r.

q league pail Club came 10 me uUTinS
1nidscason OF 1924, and, at first, | turned
= it down eaid Connie Mack. in detail
ing his big league career. Two rca-
sons influenced my rejection. one
was because of my feeling Of loyalty
and friendship for the man ! 10
depose the other because l wasn't sure
1hat would MALE good in the job.
"Al c. Buckle, Berger was leader OF
. The Pirates, He had succeeded Tommy
Burns in 'midscason OF 1892. In 1898
The Pirates made splendid showing.
1lninshing second TO Boston; The
awakened the interest OF fandom and
the crowds started to come back.
Everything seemed 10 point to ban
ner Year in 1924. all or which inhu-
onced William Il. Kerr TO buy the team
with the hope OF Al least a fair profit.
!. But he was doomed TO bitter disap-
pointmcnt
"Brcuks" Went Against Pirates.
Tho club under the management
OF Buckenberger. Sot away poorly In
1894. and the farther We went the
farther We dropped But the fault was
us. All the breaks went the other
way. Worst OF all. II was an off year
! for at least a half a dozen of the play
\ ors. They simply couldn't get started.
And I was one of that group. / kept
! myself in fine sahpc through the win
der of lS93-24 and trained faithfully
year, but didn't have il. No matter
how hard tried | simply couldn't play
my normal game.
MY own experience that year taught
me something that has been OF inval-
liable help TO me in the years since
l-then. ! became aware of the peculiar
fact that player could train OF with
out having diSS.pated, and whenever
any of my boys since then have had
n poor season | was patient with them.
because | knew 1t wasn't their fault.
.R Thought Manager TO nInme.
'But Kerr couldn't understand why
: the men who had starred in 1899 played
so poorly in 1894. lie thought the
fault of the slump was due 70 poor
7 PRISE, he summoned me to his Office in
: nidseason OF 1884 and said:
Mack, want you to manage the
What about Buckcnbcrgerc / OK
claimed.
I'm going 10 let him go and ! want
you to take his place WAS tho reply.
Buckenbcrgcr not only was my man
ager but he was my fricnd as well.
And [ knew that he wasn't responsible
for the slump OF the Pirates. So ! said
10 Kerr.
t.Give Buckenbereer a longer trial.
He is ono OF the best baseball men in
sine business. The fact that the Pira ties
have failed is not his fault
RuckcnbcrEcr Was Released.
Then ! went on to explain why It
wasn't Buckcnherger's fault. When /
show ~ rc1nc,ancn aO,oNnnoi NJ, ~" -, q
wo,,d rivn Pmcl..nharrnr ~ 1870 ne
trial SCI
"Bui unfortunate,v -o- A, P,,,,o,
hcrger lnck continued ara;ns, M, IA
about n month later EeTr cane 80 M" ,1n
.Hpain and said. '''e
":NIack we arc roinr ~ a;snors,
with tho services Of Ruckcnhorcnro
we would like 10 have yo,I tn,,o 10
lob. If YOU won. do i, We arc cow
10 get some oily els, Rnt - IN
do us a hic fFyo4-iF vou viii $40 60.
me mananop,ont ana n.rn,s ~; - ~
will Give YOU tho rhanro 10 sbo,, .j ho
YOU can do at tho helm of a hasahnii
club y
y And 90. although oncc n,o-o nm,
up a frht for the rcton,ion ~ H,ri,
enherrer until Tho rnd or Tho ea,snn
e,,,ipe~e :. ,.,,:o,, -, I;. 's''f''o"'