The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-09-06
AS ADOPT FARM SYSTEM AS KIDS
FROM DOWN UNDER AID In BATTLE
TOWARD SPOT In FIRST DIVISION
CONNIE ENTHUSIASTIC IN
TALK OF NEW ROCKIES.
PLANS BIG SCALE FARM
FOR TEAM a9as, s,a,,,

fBy Associated Presn1
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. a.
Rockies helped so much in the
Athletics drive toward the Am
erican leagues top four that Con-
ME Mack is lining up a new crop
of youngsters for 1912 - and
they're coming from the AS farm
clubs.
The 7S-year-old pilot is en-
thusiastic about his current team
the first late season top Fighter
he's had in eight years-but he
gets more excited about next
years prospects.
We have q lot of good boys
coming up. most of them from
CUR own club or from teams
we're working with" says
Ccnnis. Il only hope we find
a couple good pitchers in the
Z lot
This might be called the first
season in which the Athletics
have gone seriously into the farm
business
Father never believed in farm
clubs before" explains Earle
Mack, Comics son and heir-ap-
parent to the Athletics. Nov
he's convinced you have to have
them to get ball players. You
can't find them anywhere else"
To that end, the house of Mack
took over Newport News in the
Virginia league and fredericksburg
in the Eastern shore league last
year. The AS already had Viii
mington of the Interstate circuit
and working agreement with
Toronto of the international and
Williamsport of the Eastern.
And that's just the beginning,
says Connie IF things keep
breaking right for us, we're going
to expand that system"
Who are some of these
minor leaguers that AS hope
TO bring up next year?
well" reflects Mr. Mack, I'VE
have two pitchers UP at Toronto,
Herman Besse and Porter
Vaughn, who are going good this
year. Both of them have been up
before but needed a little more
experience. There's another pitch
er at Wilmington who's shown a
lot of stuff. His names Freddie
Caligiuri and he's young and fast,
just what we need. Jack Wallaesa.
a shortstop, and a couple outfield-
ers who can hit Felix Mackie-
wicz and Elmer Valo, are down
there, too. We have first call on
two Wtlliamsport boys, Northey
and Richmond. Northey's an out
fielder and Richmond plays the
infield. There'll be others from
Newport News and fredericksburg
IT think well have a lot to
work with next year
The rest eff the league
thinks the Athletics are doing
pretty wei this year. And II
they had better pitching.
Pitchers, of course, are what
we need" says Connie We have
good hitting and fielding club
And you have to give plenty Of
credit to our youngsters like Pete
Suder, Al Brancato, Sam Chap
man, Dick Siebert, Benny Mccoy
and the rest of them. They We
helped lot"
Mack is particularly high or
ISuder. The rookie third basemar
IS all Connie predicted he'd be a
the start of the season when III
called him another Lajoie.
sour pitching is getting bettel
as it goes along" says Connie
aPhil Marchildon, Tom Ferricl
and Lester McCrabb are settling
down now and I expect a lot from
them next year. You have t.
take time with these youngsters.
| Mr.. Mack is optimistic ther
about 1912?
| Anything can happen" say
Connie, .'but I'm still hoping TO
another championship-and wh'
knows Next year might be it.
haven't given up yet"