Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-12
Crowds Ignore
Rain as Mack
Is Laid 10 Rest

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. II up
Connie Mack was buried today
leaving behind him a personal
baseball history which never will
be forgotten.
'Mr. Baseball" was laid to rest
this cold, rain-swept day in the
Mack family plot in Holy Sepul-
cher Cemetery not too far from
the ball park where he and his
teams thrilled baseball fans OF
two generations. His widow
four daughters and three sons
stood with heads bowed as the
coffin was lowered.
Baseball dignitaries, notable
political figures. friends and Just
plain fans Of this great baseball
personality joined the bereaved
family in paying last respects
This grand old man Of base
ball, who died Wednesday at the
age Of SO, was given a solemn
farewell In st. Bridget's Roman
Catholic Church in northwest
Philadelphia. which he attended
during a major portion Of his
adult life.
Il am the resurrection and the
life" chanted the pastor, the
Rev. John A. Cartin, quoting in
Latin from the Gospel according
to st. John. HE who believes In
Me, even If he dies, shall live. /"
Crowds Wait in Rain
Outside in the rain, standing
under umbrellas and peering
through the gloom Of this dreary
winter day. a crowd Of people
bore testament to that Gospel.
Connie Mack still lived in full
measure In the hearts Of base
ball lovers all over the world
A crowd Of several hundred
waited In the rain on the side
walk and on the steps as the cor :
tege pulled up to the church.
Scores Of others were strung out
on the street for a block on
either side Of the church.
Precisely at II am. the bells
began to toll. People who had
been waiting outside, including
Mayor Richardson Dilworth. en-
tered the church and moved
down the aisles to their pews
until the church was filed.
Those unable to get into the
church fingered outside despite
the inclement weather.
Honorary PaIIbearers
Honorary pallbearers were led
by Commissioner Ford Prick and
National League President War
rem Giles. Others were:
Hans Lobert, New York Giants;
Frank Lane, st. Louis Cardinals;
George Sisler, Pittsburgh Pr
rates; John Ogden, Milwaukee
Braves; George Fletcher, Phil
lies; Walter O'Malley. Brooklyn
Dodgers; Tom Ferrick, Cincin-
natl Redlegs.
Walter (Spike) Briggs and
Muddy Ruel, Detroit Tigers; Ar
thur Ehlers, Baltimore Orioles:
Bill Dewitt. New York Yankees;
Sherry Robertson and Bill Rob-
ertson, Washington Senators;
Mike Wilson and Hank Green
berg, Cleveland Indians; Hugh
Mulcahy and Joe Holden, Chi
cago White Sox: Parke Carroll
and Earl johnson, Kansas City
Athletics. and Art Thomas, Bos-
ton Red Sox.
Old Players ON Hand
Many Of Mack's former players
were on hand including Bing
Miller, outfielder on the 1929,
1880 and 1881 American League
champions; Frank (Home RUM
Baker, part Of the venerable
managers famed 100000 inf1eld
of the 1904 era. and Elmer
Valo. an outfielder who went
along to Kansas City when the
team was transferred there.
Thousands paid tribute to
Mack last night as he lay in
state at the funeral parlor. filing
in slow procession past the open
coffin.
One Of Mack's oldest admirers
expressed the feelings Of many
when he said:
with his death. something Of
ourselves has slipped away. I be-
lieve a lot Of these people feel
that way, though they may not
find the words to say so. He was
more than a person, more than
ball club manager who had
grown old and used up and then
had lost out. He was big idea,
a conscience. a fine example of