Evening star., 1938-03-11
ADMITS He CAN Do.
LITTLE THIS YEAR
Will Go to Market for Men
He NeedS-Gets Back 10
of 30 Lost Pounds.
By GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.


The Philadelphia Athletics, once
proud team, haven't chance in the
world of climbing out of the American
League depths this year. admits their
75-year-old manager, Connie Mack.
But he is determined to build himself
another championship club before he
quits.
Connie has surprised everybody by
his remarkable physical comeback
since he came to training camp. He
lost 80 pounds off his already sparse
frame during the winter, and there
was fear that the patriarch would find
another active campaign too strenu-
Gus. But he's got 10 pounds of it back
and, by his own admission, is eating
like horse
He was bright-eyed and clipper as
he sat in the lobby of another of those
old-fashioned hotels he seems to To-
cate instinctively in any city, and spoke
of his plans.
MY clubs coming along" he said.
ITS not ready yet to beat any of the
six clubs that finished ahead of us last
year, but in another season or two
we're liable to surprise everybody and
Jump up several notches.
Will Buy Needed PLAYERS.
But I'm not going to wait too long.
I'm preparing to go into the market
for the men I need. My town is liven-
ing up again and is about ready to
support another championship team"
The old gentleman explained that.
His last great club, the one he began
breaking up in 1882. lost money even
while winning the flag in 81, he said.
Philadelphia, he said, simply can't sup
port team carrying five or six $40, 900
stars. That's why Connie builds 'em
up and breaks 'em down.
The greatest disappointment he's
had this spring is in the failure of
Dario Lodigiani, the rookie from San
Francisco, to take over second base
like he owned it. Connie gave three
players and some cash for him. and so
far it appears he was sold bill of
goods. Dario appears to have come
down with stagefright.
The Athletics. like man with the
hives are in pretty bad shape all over,
but Connie regards second base as the
spot that needs scratching most. He
hasn't given up on Lodigiani but un-
less the kid finally comes through he
won't feel that he's made much prog
ress toward overhauling the Yankees.
Sees More Yankee Rule.
He sees little hope, incidentally, of |
the Yankees falling apart within the
next three or four years.
Il can't see any place that they
might weaken" he said THAT Gehrig
IS good for years and years, and so is
their catcher, Bill Dickey. The
pitchers and the rest are all young
men and they have fine new second
baseman in Joe Gordon. I've watched
him play"
Connie thinks he is going to have
very good pitching from some of his |
youngsters this season: better than
last. Buck Ross. George Caster, Buddy |
Thomas and Harry Kelley, right
handlers, and Edgar Smith and Lovill |
Dean, southpaws, give him six as
sorted and fairly competent starters.
This staff, he figures, is about year
away.
In Wally Moses, as everybody knows,
he has plenty of right fielder and in |
Bob johnson steady 300 hitter in
left. There's quite tussle going on
for the centerfield job, with Paul
Easterling, a veteran who has been up
couple of times before, making
spirited bid against Herb Barna, a
speedy 2l0-pounder. and Lou Finney
who held down the post most of last
year to nobody's satisfaction.
Has Confidence in Easterling.
Easterling always could knock the
cover off baseball, but on his other
visits to the bigtime he didn't, as the
managers like to put it. take care of
himself" This time Mack is con-
vinced he's reformed. If so, the Macks
will have pretty good outfield.
The infield outside of second base
is set, with Gene Hasson on first, Bill
Werber on third and Lamar Newsome
at short. Russ Peters, who reported
20 pounds heavier than last year and
looks that much better, is Comics
current choice for second if Lodigiani
doesn't come through. Frank Hayes
will split the catching with Earle
Brucker, Connie said.
It's not very inspiring outlook, you
think, as Connie Mack, who has been
around a long time, sits there and says
with utter confidence that he'll be back
in the battle again pretty soon, and
that Philadelphia is about ready for
another championship team.