The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-10-30

uOIlG Was W IIldhS (|1H
it six out Of seven
in the World Series Grantland Rice
count - Is victories
against eight defeats. How much
more can they ask of a manager and
a team?
What other manager or what 9TH
er team has turned in such a job?
They forget the check back.
about Connie Mack
1t was something more than a
pleasure to have a visit with 80
year-old Connie Mack during this
last series. We turned the clock
back 40 years and I found Connie
as keen and alert as ever, looking
forward to whatever next year
might bring.
During the last series game I
turned the clock back even further.
I ran into Arlie Latham, now work.
ing at the Yankee Stadium. Arlie
was one of the star ball players of
an era that goes back some 55 or
go years. He was the crack third
baseman of Chris Won der Ahe's old
st. Louis Browns.
81 remember Connie Mack around
1885," Arlie said. ''He was then
catching for Pittsburgh as remem-
Der it. What kind of catcher was
Connie? He was something on the
Bill Dickey type. He knew how to
handle pitchers. He saw everything
that was going on. He was never in
a hurry. Connie couldn't hit with
Dickey, but as I remember it he
was a great bat Upper. He knew
how to bother you at the plate. He
was smart even then. Things were
different in those days. Anything
you could get by with was legal and
okay. But what a great fellow that
Connie Mack has been for go years.
You've got to have something extra
to be better than good for go years."
Another 8O-Year Old
This brought to mind another ac-
tive sporting star who goes back go
years. His name is Amos Alonzo
Stage, now coaching the College of
the Pacific.
Lonnie Stage was member of
Walter Camps first All-America
team, picked in 1889. Lonnie was no
kid then. After all, that was only
So years ago.
"You ought to see this kid Stagg,"
q friend writes me from California.
"He is up early in the morning for
set of tennis. And don't think he
coaches this team from the bench.
He leads the squad in the field at
gallop. He works as hard as any
man ON the squad. He is out there
showing them how to block and
tackle. He is all over the place. Not
SO bad for young fellow of 3d."
Stage is the only coach I've heard
about who has been active on the
field of play for So years. He went
to Chicago university around 1891,
and was coach and player.
The Iron Horse
Much has been said and written
about Whirlaway's famous long tail,
his speed and his stout heart. But
his most remarkable assets are iron
legs and an iron constitution.
Where most thoroughbreds are
about as brittle as pretzel, here
is a horse which has been ready to
run fast, far and often for the great
er part Of three years. And in all
that time he always has been ready
to run his race.
He gets beaten, but in spite Of all
the racing he handles, he never runs
bad race and inevitably he is in
there driving at the finish.
"He's never seen the day when
he wasn't ready to rum" Trainer
Ben Jones says. "They say over
work him. I don't. He likes to run.
He has never shown any sign of
staleness, which is the main an
swer. And don't care how hard the
race is, he is always fresh on his
way back to the barn."
"Once the rider lets him start
running he is hard to hold back. I
suppose that's one reason they
don't want to turn him loose too
soon."
Horse Ages
Tony, the 40-year-old Tom Mix
horse, was scheduled for execution
recently.
Several readers want to know the
oldest horse ON record. Tony must
have been close. I asked few vet
eran trainers and found none who
knew of any other horse that had
passed 80.
The two greatest, Man O. War and
Exterminator, are still shy of 80.
Exterminator is as frisky as colt
these nippy autumn days.