Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-11
MACK WILL START
LAST YEARS TEAM
Champions Six Bright Stars
in Shape-Have Crop of
Ambitious Rockies.
Note--This is one of q series on major
league base ball prospects.
BY ALAN GOULD,
Associated Press Sports Editor.

fsSOClaIeu EIeSS SpOTts EDITOR.
TORT MYERS, Fla, March IL.
- Age has begun to creep
/ into the joints of the Ath-
letics. The mahine that has
steam-rollered its major league
base ball opposition for two
straight seasons shows some signs
of wear and tear, but the six main
reasons for the rulership Of the
PhiladelphianS remain sound in
body and spirit.
These reasons are the 6S-year-old
but exceedingly alert. pilot, Connie
Mack; Aloysius Harry Simmons, proba-
bly, the greatest of present-day out
fielders; James Foxx, the fogging first
baseman; Gordon Mickey Cochrane,
No. / backstop of the major leagues;
Robert Moses Grove and George Living
stem Earnshaw, the two-man pitching
staff.
In the absence Of some of these vital
cogs such as Simmons and Earnshaw,
who are training at Hot Springs, Ark,
and to relieve some of the others, am
bilious youngsters have been cavcrting
in the light blue of the AS. They may
as well cavort to their hearts content
now, for when the race starts next
month, Mr.. Mack will send out to the
umpires the same lineup that finished
the 1880 world series triumphant, ex-
cept that Grove may be on the mound
instead Of Earnshaw.
Veterans Are Spry.
Aged though some of his other
athletes may be, Mack's stars retain the
spryness of youth. He is content 10
stand pat for 1881 and make bid
for three successive pennants.
Indeed, there is no reason for him 70
plan otherwise. Joe Boley's arm has
come along slowly in Spring training
and Max Bishop has been laid up
temporarily with leg bruise, caused by
a ball thrown from the outfeld. The
veteran keystone pair, however, figure
To start. although DID williams at short
and Frank Higgins, Texas boy, at
second base have been given plenty OF
chance to develop. Higgins particularly
shows promise, both in the held and
at bat.
in reserves, with Phil Todt, late OF the
Red Sox, to sub for Foxx and ETC
McNair as understudy for jimmy Dykes
at third. Dykes, at "a, Is one OF the
Oldest of the AS in point Of major
league service This is his fourteenth
season. but Jimmy still dresses, acts
and chatters like a collegian.
Outfield Is Strong.
"They are working US old fellows
pretty hard" Dykes remarked to Bing
Miller. the veteran outf1e1der, but I
guess we can still stand the pace II
the old legs don't give out"
Miller, Simmons and George Haas
form the outer patrol. They leave little
to be desired unless it Is more punch
from the latter's part.
Behind the bat Cochrane's probable
relief man, on the rare occasions when
one is needed, will be John Heving,
obtained from the Red Sox on waivers
George (Swede) Walburg gives every
indication of return to form, in which
case Mack's stan may be expanded to
big three" Roy Mahaffey, the big
right-hander who came through hand
somely in his first big league season,
Is counted on for a regular turn.
, Among the rockies, 19-year-old Hank
Mcdonald, Pacific Coast product, has
shown the stuff to indicate he may
stick Eddie Rommel and Texas Bill
Shores will do any odd pitching chores
needed, while Grove, as usual, will be
asked to step in and save a lot of
games he doesn't start.
Grove likes lots of work." said Mr.
Mack. Probably we can find it for
him"