New Britain herald., 1930-09-20


 Baseball was shedding it's rough neck habits for better manners when Connie Mack stepped into the mana gerial arena to manifest at once his clubs.
 A product of the sandlots and the rock em and sock em" days him self, Mack was the first big league manager to comb the college ball teams for talent.
 The same was becoming a more fashionable sport. Mack did not con- sider a college diploma a handicap to prospective recruits, nor share the derisive attitude of old timers toward the boys who did noble deeds for the old alma mater.
 Mack's development of players with little or no professional eX- perience soon earned him the name of the Tall Tutor and "The Pro- lessor" Connie looked more like a sedate college teacher of ancient history than the type generally asso- ciated with the management of big league ball clubs. Of kindly and sympathetic nature, his reputation attracted ambitious youngsters. They were given a hearing and some ad- vice, if not an actual trial.
 I was in Mack's office years later at Shibe park one morning when a loose, gangling youth, cap in hand, made a somewhat embarrassed en- trance. A plea to see MT. Mack" had got him by the gate tender, Con- nie looked up, indicating no trace of annoyance at the interruption. The youth blushed, told how he had been pitching for a team up in the Penn sylvania coal towns and confessed he'd like to "get a job" Mack asked him a few questions, then sent him down to the club house for a uniform and later inspection in practice.
 He may not have thing. but he's ambitious enough to come down here to sec me-" said Mack. "Perhaps we can start him off right. It's part of the game to give these boys 8 chance And, who knows, he might be real prospect?"
 This was typical of the encourage ment, patience and kindliness by which Mack helped in the develop ment of major league players.
 Two of the stars of Mack's first championship team in 1902 were plucked from college ranks-Eddie Plank of Gettysburg, the great southpaw pitcher, and Dave Fultz of Brown, who played centerfeld. In later years such stars as Jack Coombs, Eddie Collins, Jack Barry, Chick Galloway. Mickey Cochrane and George Earnshaw came to the Athletics with college regulations.
 It was still trifle early in the game to depend mostly on educated performers in 1902, however, so Mack surrounded himself with plenty of seasoned, rough-and- ready talent, Napoleon Lajoie and Elmer Flick were attracted from the Ma tional league, along with Chickra- ser, a noted pitcher.
 The As had a wonderful intield with Harry Davis at first. Laioie at second. Monte Cross at shortstop and Lave Cross at third base. In the outfield were Flick, Hartsel and Fultz; behind the bat, Powers and Schreckengost; in the box, Fred Mitchell, Fraser, Rube Waddell and Eddie Plank.
 This great combination was brok- en up by a supreme court ruling de- prlving the club of the players who had jumped from the National league. but Mack plugged the holes and won his first pennant neverthe- less, beating out St. Louis and Bos- ton. WaddeIl, Danny Murphy and i Socks Seibold were among the re- placements and the team put on a sensational spurt, coming up from 1 last place to win the pennant. Sci bold led the home run sluggcrs with 6, tremendous total in those days.
 In Waddell, the great southpaw, and Ossie Schreck, the As of 1902 put together one of the most color ful batteries Of all time. Both were eccentric, often comic, yet among the most brilliant performers the game has ever had.
 Mack had handled the cratic Waddell while at Milwaukee. He knew how to get the most out of the Rube's undoubted talent.
 He was a big fellow with trc- mendous speed" Mack said But, unfortunately, he had the brain of d child. When he was right he was as nearly unbeatable as any pitcher I have ever seen"
 There have been many legends about Waddell, chief among them the notion that he had habit of ! calling in his outtieldcrs. then strik- ing out the side. It is. however, q pleasant fiction developed solely ! from the fact that tho Eube did this