The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-06-18
Thirty-firSt Of a series
By HARRY GRAYSON
NEA Sports Editor

John Wesley CoombS is best re-
membered as the strong armed
pitcher who did not lose a World
Series game in three editions.
Following Sept. l, 1906, toward the
flag end of his initial campaign with
the Philadelphia Athletics, Colby
Jack was Iron Man Coombs, having
cutlasted Joe Harris to win from
the Boston Red Sox, Al, in "a in
nings, the longest American League
game on record.
Coombs was the shutout king
prior to the World Series of 1910,
when he became Jack the Cub
Tanner by thrice beating the vaunt-
ed Tinker to Evers to Chance
Chicago club, and his Iron Man re-
putation was enhanced as he worked
two games in succession.
There is vastly more to the story
of Jack Coombs, however, than that
of strong armed pitcher. He was
a grand all-around player who beat
a typhoid spine to stage grand
comeback in the box after being on
the sidelines for two years.
Plucky Coombs was left with the
back ailment in the spring of 1918
following an attack of typhoid fever
He licked it by stretching his spine
with weights on his neck and feet.
COOMBS COLLEGE SPLINTER
Tom McGillicuddy, who ran a
hotel in Worcester, found CoombS
for his brother. Connie Mack.
Coombs had pitched four years at
Colby when Scout Tom saw him
with the Barre Montpelier club dur
ing the one summer he spent in
the Independent Northern League,
where he came in contact with such
able citizens as Eddie Collins, Larry
Gardner, Jack Murray, Birdie Cree
and Ed Reulbach.
Mack didn't have the highly in
telligent Coombs long before he re-
allied he had someone who could
do something besides pitch. Jack
was a sprinter who played football
in college. He was good switch
hitter.
Coombs was so formidable at the
plate, as a matter of fact, that when
he appeared to have lost his stuff
in what had been a mighty right
arm, Mack started him in the out
field in 1908 where he led his fellow
fychasers in batting and made only
one error in At engagements.
Coombs did not get going again
as a pitcher until mid-August of
that year, when he repulsed the
Cleveland club with a dinky little
curve that broke no more than six
inches" recalls Manager Mack. Il
told him that he could win if he
could keep breaking off that curve.
He got so he could break it all the
way to the ground"
Colby Jack stood six feet one-half
inch, weighed 1876 pounds. He was a
sidearm pitcher who, at his peak,
threw a fast, heavy ball with plenty
on it.
Although born in Iowa, Coombs
was a typical Down Easter, twang
and all He was extremely pop
ular, an entertaining conversation
alist, pleasant company.
Once he found himself, Coombs
was a masterful performer until
stricken-31 and 9 in 1912, % and
IL in IL, 81 and 10 in ~. He had
10 shutouts in 10 to set an Amer
lean League record and in II other
starts rivals settled for one run.
One calcimining was 16-round
runless duel with Big Ed Walsh of
White Sox.
Coombs won 10 straight and
had skein of SO scoreless innings
before being repealed by White SoX
in the second of a double header
after relieving Eddie Plank and
pitching six innings of the curtain
raiser, Sept. Is of that year.
Colby Jack toiled 1853 innings,
Sc in June, 80 in July, SO in August,
IA in September. The average pitch
er would have been thoroughly
whacked out under the circum-
stances when struck smack dab in
the face by World Series, but the
robust Man from Maine handcuffed
the celebrated Cubs, twice beating
Three Fingered Brown and then
Big Ed Reulbach.
Coombs pitched 337 rounds in II,
topped Christy Mathewson and the
Giants, 80, in IL innings in the
third game of the World Series He
was on his way to victory over RUDE
Marquard in the fifth of the set
when, in the sixth inning, he slip
ped and pulled a ligament in his
back while working or Josh Devore.
The Polo Grounders tied the