Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-08

v Y the stands at the 1929 world
series games in Philadelphia
this week will be a small but staunch
band of admirers from Brookfield, the
home town Of Connie Mack, veteran
pilot of the Athletics. Brookfield is a
little village few miles west Of
Worcester and 1t was there that Connie
Mack was born and educated, and
where he played his first base ball.
Brookfield's delegation will be a small
but vociferous one. There will be Dave
Daley, DR.. John Clancy, Matt Daley, Bill
O'Brien, Andy Leach, Johnny Walker,
Fred Junior and Patsy Prizzie among
the valiant crew who will Sojourn to
Philly. Gene Daniels, P. j. Daniels, John
Lynch. John Howe and Harry Howe,
who used to play ball with Connie before
he was in the big show, will do the next
best thing-tune In on the radio Homes
that Is, those with radios-are being
made ready to accommodate the crowds
of neighbors who will congregate for
the purpose Of listening in on the games,
and it Is even rumored that the hot dog
and soda pop concession Will be
auctioned of to the highest bidder.
.s~ Keeps in Close Touch.
Connie keeps in close touch with the
home town and every year writes to
the Brookfield High School athletes, and
invariably the base ball season opens
there with a gift Of base balls to the
schools. That doesn't mean that the
base ball season cannot start until
Connie sends the free horsehides-
Brookfield knows better than that.
Once Connie forgot to send them in
time, so now the high school saves a
few from the previous year.
Brookf1eld admirers, incidentally, are
aware Of the fact that a request to Mr..
McGiAicuddy would bring number OF
Annie Oakleys to the home town, but,
not wishing to impose on an old friend,
the village fans are paying for their
own tickets.
Connie was born on December %,
1862, the son of Mr.. and Mrs. Michael
McGillicuddy. He was christened
Cornelius McGillicuddy, but that was
too long for the boys who went to school
with him, and soon he was just plain
Connie Mack.
Started Work Early.
Connie was a small boy when his
father, an immigrant from Ireland, died,
and he was forced to give UP his school,
ing and go to work. He entered the
only place open, the shoe shop in
Brookfield, and there advanced from
one position to another.
He liked base ball and in his spare
hours She played with amateur mines.
Taxing liking to catching. he special
lied in this position with the Brookfield
town team and played so brilliantly
that scouts from Meriden, Conn.,, went
to Brookfield and signed up the 81
year-old backstop.
Connie remained with Meriden in the
Connecticut league until 1884 and then
went to the neighboring city of Hart
ford. 1t was from the insurance city
that he entered the big leagues by way
Of Washington In 1887. His major
league career-his days in Buffalo,
Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Philadelphia
are too well known to even the most
casual fan to need repetition here.
So. too, are his managerial feats,
which include the winning Of Philadel-
phia's first pennant in 1902 and sew
eral others since that time.
Silver Bat Game.
Once Connie played with the East
Brookheld team, which engaged in a
spirited series for possession of a silver
bat. The big game was played against
North Brookfield in 1883, and old
timers Will tell you that Connie PLAYED
q big part In winning for the East
That silver bat still reposeS in the fire
station in East Brookfield, admired by
the CoWnS young ana OLD base ball fans.
Connie caught the game, and the last
play was a North Brookheld strikeout
Connie caught the third strike and
tossed the ball to John Lynch, who has
kept it to this day.
When Connie quit the shoe shop for
Meriden base ball, the foreman came
to him and said, Connie, you're maxi
ing a foolish move. Base ball is for
roughnecks and you won't fit. If you
quit the factory now. I'm afraid I
can't give you the job back"
Mack replied that he was willing to
take his chances. I'm going out and
make some easy money" he said. 1--WE
cut my last SOLE"
With Connie, in his Worcester County
days, was a pitcher who was almost
as tall and slim as the present Phila-
delphia manager. His build was so
similar to Mack's that the two were
known as the shadow battery"
Perhaps the greatest day Brookfeld
ever knew came In 1883 through Mack's
influence. He brought the Chicago Ma
tionals to town and Mack's team was
defeated in an exhibition game by a
small margin. The few hundred resi-
dents of Brookfield were augmented by
thousands of fans from the country
side, who f1ocked to the contest.