Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-11
HAD NO DEFINITE
| IDEAS AT OUTSET
Emotion Greatest Weakness
of Managers, Director
of AS Declares.
BY GEORGE CHADWICK,
C1~rAe-n~lnrk @F

tossing bouquets at Connie Mack
Il after his feat in practically
cinching the American League
pennant for the Athletics.
Connie, dean of big league managers,
is the town hero. He has been that
before. Now his wish is gratified, and
he sees his team again going into the
world series. The Quaker City belongs
to Connie Mack. The town folk cheer
him. fete him, and talk about him.
How did you happen to become
base ball manager" the writer asked
Mack.
Through the foolish confidence of
others in my shortcomings" he replied.
Had you any intention of being a
manager when you first began to play
base ball professionally"
"No. I simply intended to draw my
pay on such days as it was due"
did the job of managing ball team
appeal to you when the opportunity it
self came in the course of time?"
Really I don't know. If I recollect
rightly, wondered greatly 1T the trust
fulness of human nature"
Had you at that time any precon-
ceived ideas as to what should be taught
to ball players to make them win games
and thus win championships"
different in Old Days.
''Why, no; nothing special. had
been around with other managers some
and I had watched managers a little.
When began to play the manager
wasn't always the boss of the team on
the field. Sometimes he was what they
call the secretary now.
IT remember Jim Mutrie. You know,
he was manager of the old Giants, the
most successful team in the United
States about that time. He didn't have
anything to do with the players. Buck
Ewing did all that. Jim ran around
and got the Pullmans and talked enter
tatningly to the boys, fixed them up at
theaters, and all that sort of thing. He
was more than a publicity man, because
he was John B. Days right-hand repre-
sentative, but he never sat on the bench
to run a ball game. Buck Ewing did
the running.
You know. John B. Day turned the
job over to John Montgomery Ward one
year, and John didn't get on wen with
the boys. He was a good man, too. He
couldn't jolly them along like Ewing.
used to watch Ewing. I liked the way
that he handled the men on the field.
They ran around for him like sheep.
They could play ball, too. I know I
tried to get the best of them more than
once when I was catching for Wash
ington. I tried to read their signs and
tried to fool them with one or two
little things that had picked UP dur
ing the time had been playing ball,
but you couldn't beat team that could
bat its way to runs by the barrel.
Sometimes have thought the YAM
KEGS were a lot like the old Giants. I
never did find that the modern Giants
played ball just like the Giants did
under Ewing. Excuse me for getting
back to this, but it is interesting now
and then to think of the changes that
I've seen on the ball field
Must Have Experience.
eff you had it to do all over again,
would you play longer or would you
grab the job of manager If it was thrust
at you with only years experience as
player?"
planned the bland Cornelius. "At least,
can't recall any one ever knew who
would give a man job of managing q
ball team after the man had played ball
in the big league not more than one
year."
what is a managers weakness, if
any?"
Emotion"
How Gomez"
EITHER he is too damned mad most
of the time, if you will excuse it, or he
is too forgiving."
"Is there any way to cure it?"
'Experience-and that won't always
do it. Some managers couldn't change
by experience if it were fed to them "a
hours of each day"
HAS the craze for playing managers
died Off"
mo. A good manager is desirable, no
matter whether he Is playing man
ager or a bench manager. The trouble
is that the younger generation doesn't
seem to be so inclined. You've got to
take your bumps if you are a manager.
bumped and bumped. Let me see, was
it eight or nine years-son1ethtng like
that-and bumped in 1928 until I
nearly knocked my head through the
top of the cab. This season is more
relieving. I have been received by my
family for several weeks, just as If I had
belonged to the domestic circle for all
the years that have been assuming
the cares of ball players"
Where does manager go when he
is through managing?"
Back to the ball park to criticize the
next guy"
Does the manager direct every play
that takes place on ball field?"
II know one or two who have tried
It,"
where are they now?"
I'D rather not tell. 1t is too melan-
choly subject