The Washington times., 1935-04-26

storm the peaks of glory.
But there was room in the
lineup for two sluggers of the
ability and range of FoxX and
Cochrane. Cochrane had bene-
fitted by a year in the Pacific
Coast League, catching for the
Portland Beavers. He was just
a little farther advanced toward
major league catching form than
Foxx. Mickey was 81 when he
joined the Athletics. Foxx was II.
Mack Revelled in Riches
Connie sat on the bench day
by day watching these two youths
who aspired to first string honors
in receiving. Cochrane, the fiery:
Cochrane the dynamic. ragged and
snarled behind the plate. He
berated pitchers who missed the
target presented by his glove.
His line drives whistled sweetly
as they ripped through the in
field. His throws we're true, with
no lost motion. He was a hawk
on foul flies.
Foxx, who rivals the Apollo Bel
vedere, in breadth of shoulder and
depth of chest, was not the fire.
brand that the raven-haired Coch-
rane lad was. His athletic fury
burned with slower, colder flame,
But he could catch, could guard
the plate, and catch fouls. His
throws to second handcuffed the
infielders. and his mighty slams
roared the booming roar of a Big
Bertha. He demolished fences as
plunging Howitzer fire oemolishes
sandbag defenses.
Such wealth in power was not
to be wasted, and the kindly eyes
of Connie Mack tWinkled a bit
brighter as he rubbed his hands
together and plotted his attacks
on American league pitching.
Mickey the firebrand; Mickey OF
the instant reflexes would catch:
he had the enthusiasm Of the old
school. He could sense when
pitchers were losing their stuff
and when they were over the dan.
ger spots. Foxx the mighty Ole,
would ravage the fences aid play
first base.
Golden Era Dawned
So Philadelphia entered upon
a glamorous era of baseball. To
be sure, the Yankees were
monarchs of the world as these
two youths started their rise,
but Connie knew that time would
correct all this. He read the
menace to New York supremacy
in the roar of Foxx's home runs;
in the whistle of Cochrane's line
drives and the Staccato of
Mickey's chatter from behind the
plate.
Step by step along glory's trail
these two young catchers trod
under the kindly guidance of
benign old Connie. Forward,
ever forward the Athletics pressed
until in 1929 they won their first
pennant and world series. After
81 Mack began to dismantle
the great machine. He sold AL
Simmons. Later Grove and Wal
berg, Bishop and the others fol-
lowed. Even Cochrane was sold,
but not Foxx. Jimmy was to be,
is to be. the keystone of the arch
over which Connie hopes to
march to new triumphs and
greater glory in Philadelphia.
The baseball world this spring
received with wonderment Connie
Mack's announcement that Foxx
would be the Athletic catcher.
Then doubling scofferS ridiculed
the idea. Foxx, after 10 years
at first base, could not hope to
return to catching and fill the
shoes of Cochrane. 1t was point
ed out that the technique be.
tween catching behind the bat.
and taking throws at first base
was so different, that FoXX could
scarcely hope to escape injury
that would put him out of action,
But Foxx is behind the plate,
Those who came to watch him
and scott at his failures, have
remained to cheer the great
catcher of this year, this decade,
and perhaps of all time.
Greatest Of ThrOwerS
Foxx is perhaps the greatest
Of all throWers. If you contest
that statement, then maybe you'll
admit that no man ever threw
with greater speed and accurtcy
than does Foxx. His throws trave
not more than three feet off thu
ground he is still hand-cuffini
infielders. He is a hawk on fou
flies now, making his turns in
stinctively and camping unde,
the twisting NA1<s with a ger