The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-09-15
BY ALAN GOULD
Associated Press Sports Editor

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christened him Cornelius. That was
In the little shoe town Of East Brook
field, Mass, on December %, 1852.
The boys in the factory and on the
sandlot diamond nearby. where the
lunch hour consisted Of 10 minutes
for lunch and so minutes for baseball,
called him Stats" That was around
1880.
For half q century and over he has
been identified with Americas ma
tional game as Connie Mack, smart as
a player, famous as q manager. strate-
gist and maker Of worlds champion
ship teams, beloved on and off the
field as q leader and counselor.
The career of this lean and upright,
soft-spoken and Irish blue-eyed man
parallels the history Of baseball,
throbs with its ups and downs, spar
kles with its triumphs. In his keen
glance, firm handclasp and spontane-
Gus enthusiasm in 1880 here Is the
flash Of spirit that you know was
manifest by "Slats" Nc illicuddy in
1880.
Baseball always has been a great
game to me-" he remarks. II played
It because it wa the thing I liked to
do best as q boy. It seemed too good
to be true when I discovered they
were willing to pay me for it and offer
me steady work. / was very fortu-
nate"
And so baseball became the life-
work of the slim young 1rishman, tc
whom he neared three score and II
| years It was still "a great game" ant
| the thing he 'liked to do best"
When Connie Mack broke into thu
big leagues In 1885. with the Wash
ington club Of the National league
Adrian G. (Pop) Arson was in hi
prime. the slugger Of sluggers ant
the Babe Ruth Of his day.
Seven balls entitled q batsman t,
first base then and 1t was legal TO
the bat to be flat on one side.
The Baltimore Orioles, greatest o
old-time teams, ruled the roost whel
Mack had his first engagement a.
major league manager with Pitts
burgh In mid-season Of 1894.
Hans Wagner was then only q DO,
playing on the sandlots. Hugh Duff,
OF the Bostons was batting king Will
the record major league percentag
Of Asa.
John McGraw. later Mack's grea
world series rival, was Just takin
over the helm of the Giants whe'
Connie won his first American leagu
championship in 1902 with the Phil
adelphia Athletics, the club wit
which the tall tutor" became perma
nently identified in the formation {
the second majol circuit.
Mack led another championshi
club into the fist official world
series l., 1905. the year that Ty Cob
broke into the big leagues with De
troit.
Twenty three years later Cob
played his last major league Seaso
under the leadership of Mack, VIII
has stamped the Georgian with h
unqualified choice as the creates
a~ll-around player the game has evt
known.
Babe Ruth bounded into the b
show as q southpaw pitcher in 19l
when Mack was leading his fiji
champi 1nship machine. That was tt
team that brought him his create
fame as well as his worst worlds seri'
defeat: the combination with Il
$100,O0 infield tl.at he startled Il
baseball world BY wrecking In 1915.
|; The old master has known Il
depths Is well as the sunlit height
He has heard the raucors cry Tor b
scalp from the blee "hers. as well
the frenzied cheers.
He has seen his club finish last ov
q stretch Of seven straight years
postwar depression and struggle. I
has known the glory that goes vii
eight pennant-wjrning clubs, four
them over q span Of five years, al
the thrill Of worlds championsh
sHumpn with his 1879 team after
az sixteen years
MISUNDERSTANDING Z