Evening star., 1954-10-15

nothv Nv next week there will remain the old
only the ghosts past Ghosts named Bender ana BAKER,
Plank and Collins Grove and Cochrane, Simmons and Fo
Earnshaw and Barry many, others whose rare
skils he developed and directed
THE ALMOST CERTAIN departure of the Athletics from
PHILADELPHIA will have blow to Connie because
even when he stepped their only manager in the
winter 1s5o-after half-cenury-Mack never ost close
touch with the club. =
Jimmy Dykes who was hired to used to marvel
at Connie Look him" Jimmy said day that first
spring in camp at West Palm Beach, Fla He beats the
players park sits all day watching and signing auto
graphs spends the night in the hotel lobby taking
baseball to anybody who comes along.
Ths is tough on him, not managing" Dykes went on,
"but at least he's managing by proxy, sort Of
All spring and summer and during subsequent Ones
Mack followed Athletics by Limousine when they were on
the road the long Western trips His cnau1eur
have been raised the Indianapolis Speedway Dykes
once commented HE gets needle to 80 miles hour
and keeps Mack he sits in the back nice and
quiet everybody else is scared to DEATH except me-
you're not scared?"
"No" Jimmy replied. ct won't ride with him"
NOW HE WILL HAVE no club to follow by and to
manage as Dykes put it, by proxy big league
franchise which upon time provided good living,
by the property of who became
wealthy in other fields
There are very few left old guard notably Clark
Griffith still lives off the ball club, but it is rot as safe
today as it used to overhead Of big league club
system to feed the parent organ
zation has prohbitive that two bad in
row might spell disaster -equpped financially.
These the days when the operation OF major league
strictly hobby stuff for the wealthy roll call
of club owners members of Syndcates illustrates The
Yankees by Dan Topping and Del Webb Red Sox
by Tom Yawkey Pirates by John Walbreah, Phies by
Bob CARPENTER Lou Perin Cards by Augustus
Busch Redegs Powell Cosley Cubs by Phil Wrgley Tigers
by Spike Briggs the Orioles and Indians by of
af1uent men,
When Arnold Johnson becomes boss Of the Athletics
1t will mark purchase club by persons who,
unlike Griffith, unable to play the well
but able to afford to important part of it,
THE MACKIAN GRIP the Athletics began loosening
wears ago borrowed money used to keep the
operaton than once Connie had broken up great
teams sold off his stars but Mack in recent has
had fewer and players who could important
prices.
There was another way telling that hurting
besides keeping of trips to moneylenders That
when stopped using his famous corecard to wgwag
to players pulling them in closer, waving them,
moving them to the left right.
That was Macks trademark, and it far from stunt
because knew what he doing Once for instance
there rookie oufeder named Charley Metro With
game Mack wigwagged energetcaly to Metro
moving him several steps in direction and then back
ward the youngsters position pleased Connie play
was resumed and the batter lined szr right into Metros
glove.
Back on the bench the rookie sat silently for few
moments then nudged a teammate. "You know what
think?" st think Mr. Mack is the best outelde In
the American League
But in his last years Mack abandoned the scorecard
explaining "You real pitchers to the elders
When we Coombs, Bender, Wadde, Plank Grove and
Earnshaw that 80 cent OF the time wee have
our outfeders in the right spot.
Shortage of cash bad enough, but shortage Of
ability, as we'll really tore it.