The Washington times., 1930-03-14
BY JAMES /. KILGALLEN

ING camps Of the MAJOR league.
clubs.
By JAMES L. KILGALLEN
FORT MEYERS. Fla March
IT'D like my boys to win the
pennant again this year but If
we do it won't be an easy task"
Connie Mack, 67-year-old man
aRer Of the Philadelphia Athletics,
world champions, made this de-
claration today as he sat in the
sun on bench back Of first base
ut Terry Park and watched. his
players cavort around the dia.
mond and outfield. kid" Glea-
son, his gray-haired coach, was
injecting pep" into the workout
by hitting whizzing grounders
from the home plate and Eddie
Collins, former liking Of second
basemen," who was raised in the
Mack school Of baseball, hustled
around the premises, jabbering
advise to rockies and veterans
alike. It was q Wide-aWake,
gingery aggregation.
"They look good, don't
they?" said Connie, crushing
his score card In his enthu-
giaSm. Their condition iS
much better than this time
last year. They have
smOOthness, . championship
class about them. / suppose
it comes from their winning
the worlds championship.
they'll be hard to beat this
year."
Asked how the team would line
up for the first game Of the sea
son, Mack quickly replied:
Exactly as they lined up In
the world series. Mickey .Coch-
rane behind the plate. Jimmy
Foxx at first. Max Bishop at
second. John Boley at short.
Jimmy Dykes at third. Bing Mil
Ter in right field, Mule Haas in
center and AL Simmons in left.
OF course, don't know this early
who will pitch the opening game"
Mack's pitchers are Gapidly
rounding into form. He has as
possible starting Pitchers Lefty
Grove, Rube Walberg, George
Earnshaw, Eddie Rommel, Jack
Quinn and Howard Ehmke per
haps the grandest array Of fling
ers In the league. He also has
several excellent prospects, includ-
ing Leroy Mahaffey, Glenn Iieb-
hart and AL Mahon. Mahaffey
Ii q six.footer purchased from
Portland; Liebhardt is the 19-year'
old son of the former Cleveland
pitcher. and Mahon is q 20-year-
old youngster from Pilger, Neb.
''It won't be easy for us to re.
peat this year because the other
clubs in our league have i'm
proved" said Mack. 'The Yam
KEGS are a powerful hitting team,
Of course. Cleveland and ST.
Louis are first class clubs. I like
the Chicago White SoX's chances
very much for they have devel-
oped some fine youngsters.
Washington and Detroit did
mot play the ball they were
capable Of last season, and
the Red Sox are . fast, young
ball club that is getting bet
ter as they gain i'm expert
enCe. 1t should be m exCep-
ti0nally good race in the
American League this year"
"Have any Of your youngsters
impressed you this spring?" he
was. asked.
Eyes, indeed" Mack replied,
warming up. Eric McNair, q
. shortstop who was with Knoxville,
Tenn, last year, and Dibrell Viii
liams, q second baSeman whom we
purchased from Little Rock, look
like great prospects. So does Roy
Tarr, a shortstop we bought from
McCook. Neh. All three Of them
are only 20 years old. All they
need is experience"
Mack also said he liked first
baseman Jim Keesey, tall, ag-
gressive chap who was with Port
land, Greg. last season. Mack
had him several years ago.
McNJair'S. home is in Meridian,
Miss: J Williams is Greenbriar,
Ark: Tarr lives i'm Topeka. Kans.,
and Keesey calls Portland his
home.
As reserve ottfielders, Mack
has De witt LebOurveau and
Homer SlifiIha, two hard hit
ters, both HOf5 whom throw
right handed and bat 1rO1n the
left side Of the plate.
''We have been fortunate this
spring in the way Of avoiding In
jurieS," said Mack. tBoley'S arm,
which was troubling him last sea-
son, is in good shape. We ssh 5uld'
get away toa fine start If condi'
ton means anything"
Mack looked as young as hl did
10 years ago. He said he does not
realize he is getting older. He has
has been playing q lot of golf and
shooting In the low sos. He has
no idea of giving up baseball.
Asked II he thought his nerves
would stand the ordeal of another