The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-12-23

Mock, 8l, Too Busy 10 Look Back; Optimistic About the As of 1944; Keeps Track of Boys in Service
By HARRY CRIMSON NEA Sports Editor


 Philadelphia, Dec. 23.-Cornelius McGillicuddy, 8l, is too busy to look back. The past has never been able to catch up with Connie Mack, pres- ident, manager and chief cook and bottle washer of the Athletics.
 Entering MT. Mack's office high up in Shibe Park, it strikes you that you should ask him about Old Hoss Radbourne and the days when Gilmore and himself form- ed the Shadow Battery and the pitcher was allowed eight balls and the batter five strikes, but the Grand Old Man immediately puts you on an altogether different track.
 First of, MT. Mack-everybodv calls him Mister-jumps out of his chair and grabs your coat, which seems rather incongruous - you ought to be doing that for him. But don't ever try to help him with his coat. If you do, you are likely to hear: You're just like Mrs. Mack. Always handing me my coat, and she's the one always catching cold.'
 ANOTHER EDDIE COLLINS
 MT. Macks desk is cluttered with letters. He answers each one personally, many of them in long hand. The telephone rings in cessantly. People drop in to see him about everything from rent ing the park to obtaining his auto- graph.
 The days of yore are definitely out, so you swing into a discus sion of the As who are likely to ne around next spring and those m the service. Mr. Mack keeps in touch with all his boys in the armsd forces.
 Eddie Collins, Jr., of the Navy has just become the father of Ed die Collins III, by the way. The newest addition to the clan Col lins ought to be a pippin on the baseball field. His mother is Herb Pennock's daughter.
 Connie Mack, Jr., the apple of MT. Mack's eye, is to be inducted, Jan. 4. Mr. Mack speaks of Sam Chapman of the Navy Air Corps and the shortstops, Jack Wallaesa of the Army and Al Brancato of the USS Boston.
 REASON FOR NEWSOME DEAL
 MT. Mack tries to recall the name of promising young pitcher who joined the Army early, and is displeased when a baseball writer thinks of the name first-Dick Fowler. MT. Mack sometimes mis- pronounces names-Grove was al- ways Groves, for eXample-but never forgets one.
 MT. Mack explains the Newsom deal.
 We have Hal Wagner back he elucidates. You gather that Wagner got to jumping at the ball catching Rog Wolff's knuckler which was extremely difficult to catch. The inference is that Wag- ner should be better catcher with no Wolff to worry about and that his hitting will pick up with his receiving.
 MT. Mack relates how a pair oi pants made tall Jack Wallaesa g clever shortstop. The Easton higt school lad was issued pair oi pants that were too small. They couldn't be rolled below the knees, had to be rolled above, and this made the awkward Wallaesa appear even more so. It was Stanley Baumgartner the baseball writer and one-time pitcher, who suggested that a pair of better fitting pants might help Wallaesa's confidence.
 HIS SCORECARD WAVES ON
 The Athletics now have 30 men and MT. Mack expects 15 to be of assistance. Irwin Hall, the shortstop who led the outfit in runs-batted- is 4-F spot on lung. Charley Kell, the third baseman who came up from Lan- caster and once Cardinal farm property, is 4-F He didn't walk until he was eight. MT. Mack ikes Richmond, young third baSeman who caught the eye in three or four games last fall.
 MT. Mack goes into ecstasies about Carl Scheib, not yet IT. who showed tremendous possibilities pitching 19 innings. This Philadel- phia Olney high product stands six feet three, weighs 190, is going to be quite a boy when he grows up
 MT. Mack is optimistic about the 1914 Athletics. He never lost his enthusiasm.
 Asked how much longer he in- tends to wave his famous score card from the dugout, MT. Mack taps his head.
 "As long as this old thing works" he smiles.
 And it's clicking as well at 8l and it did when someone shortened Slats McGillicuddy's name to Mack so 1t would fit on a score | rH