The Bismarck tribune., 1934-04-05
ES MARK LINEUPS IN NATIONAL LEI
No Club Outstanding in American
League Race This Year, Mack Says
Veteran Baseball Head Says
Athletics Can Come Through
II Pitchers Will
By BILL BRAUCHER
~~snA 0WAaA- -

Fort Myers, Fla, April 6.-(R)-No
club is outstanding in the American
League race this year.
The Athletics can come through Il
they have luck with their young
pitchers.
A young man who turns down Job
worth 5000 year these days ought
to have his head examined.
These were thoughts uttered BY
Connie Mack, manager Of the AS, as
, he begins to rebuild team shattered
BY q financial depression which par.
alyzed the Philadelphia turnstiles.
Mack still is in there fighting.
"This looks like the closest race the
American League has known IN
years." he said, as we stood looking
at an assortment Of players. many OF
whom were wearing the AS uniform
for the first time. "Washington isn't
q great team. The Yankees have
been going backward.
THE question with US Is pitching.
If we are fortunate enough to find .
couple Of young pitchers among the
men out there, we will be In the fight
all the way.
Il am placing confidence in the
three young men we purchased from
Oklahoma City, Al Benton. Vernon
Kennedy and Harry Matuzak. There's
Benton over there warming up now.
That's good old pitching name. Big,
isn't he?"
& 4 =
The writer looked. Yes. he was big,
all of 6 feet 1. and all Oklahoma
Drawn and gristle. The veteran Ed
die Rommel, pitcher for the AS for
Is years and now a coach, was watch
ing Benton and giving him pointers.
Occasionally Mack chimed In with
some advice about how to hide the
ball with the glove before delivery.
with these young pitchers" Mack
continued, Its q matter Of conf
dence. They have great chances and
great ability"
Would Mr.. Mack name 4 few Of his
starting pitchers? The writer pro.
duced q roster.
well, you see we have only three
men who were with us last year. They
are Cain, Dietrich and, Mahaffey,
who is the veteran Of the staff. But
Marcum, who came up from Louisville
last Labor Day and pitched couple
Of shutouts for us, looks like . fine
prospect. Then there's Bob Kline,
from Boston, q really capable man.
II am placing great faith In those
five. The others can make good II
they live up to the reports Of scouts" :"
The Others are eight or nine
young men from near and far, some
purchased. but most Of them picked
up as free agents. The training
camp slogan seems to be. Come to
Fort Myers If You Can Throw
Ball"
TO tell the young men what to pitch
Mack is depending on the veteran
catcher, Charley Berry, acquired from
the White Sox. Charely being regard
ed as Cochrane's successor. Young
Eddie Madjeski is In reserve.
The Mackian infield seems to be
well set, although for . while it
seemed Connie would be without q
first-sacker. Mack had lot Of trou-
BILE with Jimmy Foxx In contract
matters. and with Farnk Higgins, too
Higgins led the leagues third base
man last year In every department Of
baseball except wild throws. It Is
around these two that the AS leader
will build.
Jimmy Foxx is nice boy Mack
told me, but he was spoiled by q lot
Of newspaper men telling him that he
could get more money.
I'VE paid Al Simmons three times
what he was worth when we we're
winning and getting crowds. But We
can't pay players more than We are
makingl
+ + \
"When we signed Simmons for 436,-
900 year, we had prospects Of draw
ing more than . half million people
at the gate. It isn't like that now
In 1888 we didn't have 100000.
Last year we still would have beer
in debt If ali the players had worked