Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-04
From the
Press Box
As Likely to Win Flag
In 1912, Connie Feels
BY JOHN LARDNER,

NEW YORK, Sept. (N.A.N.A).-
Connie Mack was born the week
after Lee beat Burnside at the Bat
tie of Fredericksburg December,
1862. Today, going on 78, this time
less character is talking of getting
his ball club into the first division
next year.
In the year of his 80th birthday,
1912, Connie confidently expects to
win the pennant. Having done so,
and added a couple of more pen
nants to the string, he will no doubt
tear the team apart and start
building for the 1950s. Mr.. Mack
generally spends 10 to Is years on
construction work between cham
pionship teams.
He was through with ball playing
and already a successful manager
at the time of the Spanish Ameri-
can War. When Mr.. McGilhcuddy,
as his parents knew him, took over
the Athletics of Philadelphia in
1901 he had not as yet perfected his
technique with winners-build 'em
up, win a few, tear 'em apart, and
start building again. Connie was
satisfied with his first winner. He
let it stand, for a while.
Gionts Cooled 'em OFF
In 1905 Series.
That was in 1902, when Mr.. Mack
was a slim, dark, outstanding young
Irishman of 49, already given to
sober civilian clothes and stiff col
lars on the ball field.
IT had Plank and Waddell pitch
ing" recalls the sage, land my
catcher was Ossie Schreckengost.
There was the Cross boys and Muir
ply and Davis in the infleld, and
in the outfeld there was HartSel
and Seybold and Fultz. We didn't
have a World Series that year.
Maybe we would have been whipped.
Pittsburgh won in the National
League, and they had a real good
team"
Mr.. Mack thought his own team
had another pennant in Its system,
so he patiently waited till Jimmy
Collins Red Sox got over their hot
spell of 10000. Then ne won IN
1905. with the ball club OF 1902,
except that Lord was in the out
field and Andy Coakley and the
great Chief Bender had taken their
places beside Plank and Waddell on
the pitching line.
In the SERIES" says Mr.. Mack
mildly. I'VE were cooled off"
They were-Mathewson pitched
three shutouts, and Joe McGinnity
one.
Over the next few years Connie
watched his champions wear out.
giving here and there at the knees
and elbows Whenever a seam
popped. he was ready with new
ball player. He was nearly so in
1910, but he had his second great
ball club.
Harry Davis, Hartsel, and Eddie
Plank were the only survivors from
Comics first championship team.
Jack Coombs bolstered the pitching.
Amos Strunk and Rube Oldr1ng
appeared in the outfleld. The lnfleld
had three brilliant newcomers, Eddie
Collins, Jack Barry and Home Run
Baker. Stuffy McInnis was there
and ready to spell Davis when he
tired.
THAT team won me four PEN
nants," muses. Mr.. Mack. "A little
later we got Wally Schang for
catcher, and near the end brought
llp Joe Bush and Herbert Pennock.
Funny thing about that team, when
they were at their greateSt-l912-
they didn't win the pennant. That
shows what can happen to a great
team even before she begins to break
UP. We won in 1910, 1911. Then we
missed. Then We won in 1913, 1914,
on the way down. You just couldn't
put your finger on the trouble in
1912. I think that year it was the
greatest team I ever managed"
Will Be in Boseboll
For Some Time.
So, Mr.. Mack tore it apart in 1915,
and began to build again, as fresh
and eager as a blooming Durocher,
though he was over so then and ST
when he won his next pennant-
with Grove, EarnShaw, Walberg,
Foxx, Bishop, Boley, Dykes, Haas,
Simmons, Miller and Cochrane.
And he was II when he tore that
one up, and now he is Is and talking
about Hayes, Seibert, Brancato,
Rubeling. Mccoy, Vaughan and
Chapman.
I'VE can finish sixth this year, -
says Mr.. Mack placidly. I'VE may
do it, too, now that some of my
young men have learned to pitch. I
don't know why we shouldn't be in
the first division next year. This is
a young team. 1t has fine POSSIBLE
tiles. 1 certainly can win a pennant
in few years, maybe in two years.
Mr.. Mack almost died last year
That has no effect on his plans.
THE way I feel, I certainly will
be in baseball for some time"
As we were saying Connie Mack
was born the week after Lee beat
Burnside at the Battle of Fredericks-
1,,,yT